The Bounty of Captain Bartholomeu Santara
by Jillvalentine44
Summary: When a strange girl cons Captain Jack Sparrow into helping her claim a bounty on a notorious pirate, Jack comes to find that he gets more than he bargained for.
1. Chapter 1: Ruby Falls

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I in any way affiliated with anything even remotely having anything to do with Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney, or anything else. I am a mere fan girl who writes fan fiction in the time that she should be doing homework! Don't sue me! Hope you like my fic!  
  
Chapter 1: Ruby Falls  
  
Captain Jack Sparrow sauntered down an empty street, the noon sun beating down on him. Now, everyone knows about Captain Jack Sparrow. He was a pirate legend, though very few could point him out. Very famous in tales he was, but few have actually lain eyes on him. The few who had most likely would not have thought him to be the grand adventurous pirate captain from sight; he looks somewhat like a drunken drifter to the untrained eye. He was garbed in a faded black jacket that came down to his knees, a worn grayish-blue vest that came to about mid-thigh on him, old- looking faded blue pants that tucked into his brown knee-high boots, and under the jacket and vest he wore a loose dirty white shirt. About his waist he wore an old brown belt and under that, a red and white striped piece of cloth that also wrapped around his waist with one end of it extending nearly to his feet. On his head he wore a red bandana, and over that, an old bluish greenish grayish tri-cornered hat. In his long black hair that was in dreadlocks he had many things, mainly beads, but also a short bone tied to the top of his head. He had a mustache and a beard that he had braided into two short braids. He had deep dark brown eyes that were easy to get lost in, and tan skin from many Caribbean adventures in the sun. Now, did everyone believe all of Captain Jack Sparrow's sea stories? Well, it was an even match. Some thought him to be an amazing marvel, and others thought him a mangy sea- dog not worth spitting on.  
At the moment, he was heading back to his ship, the Black Pearl, a large black ship with black sails, docked in the harbor. He looked around at the interesting scenery, walking down the narrow stone street.  
"'ello, wha's this?" Jack asked curiously to himself as he turned around, bending to pick up the shiny silver object he spotted on the ground. "Hmm..." he mumbled, examining the single shilling he held in his unwashed hands. "Mus' be me lucky day..." He turned around and began to round a corner while still examining the shilling, and ran right into a girl.  
"Oh!" she exclaimed, startled. The girl had light brown hair and beautiful blue-green eyes. She wore a blue frilly expensive looking lace trimmed dress that was fairly low cut and reached the ground causing her the need to hold it up when she walked.  
"'scuse me, miss." he apologized, bowing shortly and removing his had respectfully. He placed it back on his head and began to be again on his way.  
"Excuse me, sir." she apologized. She thought for a moment. "Sir?" she asked. He turned to look at her.  
"Yes?"  
"I don't know you." she stated.  
"No you don't." Jack confirmed and began to walk off again.  
"Sir!" she grabbed his arm, restraining him.  
"Yes?" he asked, a bit irritated.  
"I mean, I do get around this city and I have never seen you before." she told him.  
"Yes, I've just come into town recently." he informed.  
"You didn't... by chance... come in on that ship, did you?" she asked, pointing behind her at the Black Pearl.  
"Yes, I did."  
"You wouldn't happen to know where the captain is, would you?" she asked hopefully.  
"Yes, I would." he said.  
"Oh? Could you tell me where he is?" she asked.  
"Righ' in front o' you, darling." he stated.  
"You're the captain?!"  
"Aye."  
"Oh, good!" she exclaimed. "And would your ship happen to be the Black Pearl?"  
"Aye, that it would..." he began to get a little suspicious.  
"Well then, sir, I deduce that you are Jack Sparrow?" she asked.  
"Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please." he corrected.  
"Ah, yes, well then, Captain, I have a proposition for you." she stated. "I am in desperate need of passage on a ship. If you would do me the service, I would be honored to share a reward with you."  
"Reward...?" Jack asked, half-interested, half-confused.  
"Yes, you see, I am interested in collecting a bounty."  
"Ah, yes, well, I really don't 'ave the time, love, I'm sorry." he explained. "You see, I must sail to Rosalia this evening, an' I--"  
"Well, that's where I'm headed! How lucky!" she exclaimed. "You can just take me there then!"  
"I'm sorry, darling, I'm just going there to get some rum. Kings of rum makin',  
  
they are. Besides, I see no profit in it for me at the moment."  
"Er..." she stuttered. "At the moment...? My, er, company! That's worth it!"  
"Ah, yes, well, normally I'd accept, but I really don't 'ave time for company tonight." he casually told her.  
"That isn't what I mean!" she cried angrily, clearly offended. "How dare you?!" she raised up her arm and slapped him hard across the face. He swayed backward from the force of it.  
"...I may 'ave deserved that..." he mumbled, rubbing his cheek.  
"I mean, that you can talk to me!" she said. "I'm actually very wise for my age. I know a bit about the sea and--"  
"I'm sorry, love, I just don't 'ave the time." he shrugged. With that, he tipped his hat and walked past her.  
"Wait!" she pleaded.  
"Sorry, darling!" he called to her, not even turning around, and just continued walking down the street.  
  
* * *  
  
Captain Jack Sparrow sauntered down he docks, headed for his ship, when suddenly he heard someone running up behind him. He turned around.  
"Jack Sparrow?" the person asked in a strange voice. It appeared to be a boy of about seventeen, unable to actually tell, who was clad in a white shirt, black pants, and black boots; all his garments seemed far too large for him. He wore a large blue hat that hid his face.  
"Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack corrected. "Captain. Why does everyone in this town seem to make that mistake?"  
"My apologies, sir." the boy offered. He set down the four suitcases he had been carrying. "Sir, I want to be a pirate." he boy boldly stated. There was a short pause.  
"It isn't that easy, boy." Jack chuckled.  
"Alright then, let's have a duel." the boy proposed. "If I can disarm you, then I get to travel with you, and you'll get forty percent of my plunder. If you disarm me, then I'll pay you five shillings for your time. Deal?"  
"Well..." Jack mumbled thoughtfully. "I don't see why not. I always win anyway, jus' as a heads up for you."  
"We'll see..."  
As they prepared to duel, the boy took out an old-looking long sword. Jack took out his trusty sword.  
"Three..." the boy counted, "two--" just then, Jack swung his sword horizontally at the boy, but he blocked it. "I didn't say go." the boy said tauntingly, swinging overhead at Jack, who parried it.  
"If you want to be a pirate, son, you're gonna 'ave to learn that we don' play fair." they fenced.  
"Well, in that case..." the boy swung overhead at Jack. As Jack started to block, the boy kicked at Jack's ankles, sending him falling to the wooden docks. The boy stepped on the blade of Jack's sword and kicked it away.  
"Un-fair enough?" the boy asked as he held the blade towards Jack's face. After a pause, Jack finally responded.  
"Fine. You win."  
"You'll take me on your ship, then?" the boy asked.  
"Yes, yes, now let me up!" Jack commanded impatiently.  
"Do I have your word?" the boy asked. "To let me go with you regardless of who I am and let me go at least to your next destination... wherever that may be..."  
"Yes, you 'ave me word! I'm a pirate and--"  
"A pirate's word is never broken." the boy interrupted.  
"Aye! Aye!" Jack agreed impatiently. The boy sheathed his sword and helped Jack to his feet. "Great, now I'm all bloody dusty... not that it matters, I am a pirate..." Jack grumbled half to himself while retrieving his sword. "...shiver me timbers..." With Jack still mumbling, the boy picked up his suitcases and followed Jack onto the ship.  
As they stepped on deck, Jack greeted some of the crew members who glared suspiciously at the boy.  
"Alrigh' then, I suppose you'll 'ave to 'ave a room..." Jack said.  
"No, it's fine, I'll just sleep in the galley." the boy replied sarcastically. "Of course I'll need a room."  
  
"Aye..." Jack agreed, ignoring the attitude in the boy's voice. "Follow me, then." He led the boy through a door and down to a fairly shabby looking, sparsely furnished room with one window that overlooked the sea.  
"This is a big ship." she boy said, setting his suitcases down.  
"This is where you'll be stayin', savvy?"  
"I suppose..." the boy responded with a tone of disgust.  
"We'll be settin' sail soon, so 'urry up on deck when you get the chance." Jack ordered. "We can always use more 'elp." With that, he left the room. The boy plopped down onto an uncomfortable cot that was part of the 'four pieces of furniture' look the room had going for it. Besides the cot, there was a bedside table with a small unlit oil lamp resting on it, a dresser, and a desk with a stool.  
'Who knows how old all this stuff is?' the boy thought in disgust. He sighed and looked around. 'Well... this is just great! Really! I don't need my family anyway...' He got up and paced around, pondering things to come. 'What am I going to tell him about me...?' He left the room and headed upstairs hoping to wing what it was he was going to say. He closed the door to the stairway behind him and looked around for Jack. He spotted him up at the helm. Slowly and reluctantly, the boy walked up the stairs to Jack. The ship had already started moving, so there was no going back. 


	2. Chapter 2: Deceit?

Chapter 2! Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 2: Deceit?  
  
What's your name, kid?" Jack asked the boy while steering the ship and gazing out at the ocean.  
"Er... George... George is my name..." he hesitated.  
"What a terrible name!" Jack exclaimed. "You need a manly pirate name like... Jack, for example."  
"Give me a break..." the boy muttered.  
"You know," Jack told him, "you're not a bad fighter."  
"I know." the boy replied casually.  
"Can't say much for your attitude..."  
"You could use a swords...man like me on your travels, right?" the boy asked.  
"Now, don't get 'asty." Jack warned. "But I might find some use for you."  
"Good. Because I am dying to tell you who I am!" the boy said, looking back at the shrinking city.  
"What?" Jack asked, confused. The boy took of his hat and long light brown hair fell from it. "WHAT?!" Jack yelled. "You're--you're that girl!"  
"Well, what do you know!" she exclaimed sarcastically. "Celeste is the name. Celeste Wyndham." Jack looked both confused and angry. "So, Captain Sparrow, how does it feel to know you were just beaten by a girl?" she chuckled.  
"It's not funny..." Jack replied seriously.  
"Of course it is!" Celeste laughed. "The famous Jack Sparrow, Captain Jack Sparrow beaten in a duel by me!" she laughed. Jack just stood there feeling like a fool. "Oh, come on, Jack, if I may call you that, you know it's funny!"  
"No you may not call me that and no, its not funny." Jack stated seriously. "You lied to me."  
"I did not!" Celeste retorted. "I just neglected to mention to you who I was."  
"I 'ave to turn 'round..."  
"No!" she cried. "You promised to take me to your next destination regardless of who I am!"  
"Perhaps me next destination is back to your town." Jack stated.  
"Well, I'm not leaving until I get to Rosalia." Celeste protested.  
"An' what makes you think I can't make you get off?" Jack asked simply. At this she stood up straight and confidently and looked him in the eye and said:  
"What makes you think you can even try?"  
"Honestly, darling, I don't want to 'ave to knock you out or anything..."  
"Fine. If that's your game, then, have it your way." she stated. "I'll just go back and tell everyone that I beat you in a duel."  
"An' 'ow will you prove that, love?" he asked impatiently.  
"Oh..." she started, walking to the rail of the ship, "I have my ways..." With that, she pulled out Jack's trusty old pistol out of her pocket. Jack looked down at his belt, the  
  
normal resting place for his gun and looked back up at her.  
"'ow--'ow... did you..." he stuttered.  
"It fell during the duel." she calmly told him.  
"Give it 'ere, girl!" he commanded urgently.  
"The name's Celeste." she corrected. "And I don't think I'll be giving it back until my feet are firmly planted in Rosalia." Jack glared at her, hating to be 'suckered into something.' "Well, aren't you interested in who I'm bounty hunting?"  
"Not really--"  
"Of course you are!" Celeste interrupted. "Ever heard of a pirate named Bartholomeu Santara?" He glanced at her, then returned his gaze to the sea.  
"I've 'eard of 'im." Jack replied casually.  
"Well, that's who I'm after." she stated plainly. Jack chuckled.  
"An' 'ow do you plan on capturin' this man, love?"  
"That's where you come in." she turned to look at him, her eyes previously being set on the shrinking town.  
"Wait just a--"  
"You see, Jack, I could turn you in for your bounty, and it is quite high, I might add, but you seem like a fairly nice man, so I won't." Jack snickered at the way she seemed to think she could turn him in. "Plus, if you help me catch him, I'll cut you in forty percent."  
"Seventy." Jack stated as though it seemed obvious that he deserved over half.  
"Forty-five." she insisted.  
"Sixty-five." Jack pressed.  
"Fifty. Okay?" she surrendered. "No more. That's my final offer. You always seem up for getting even one extra shilling if you can, so be happy I'm letting you in on this."  
"Hm... I suppose." Jack agreed.  
"By the way, I fear I may have misled you." she said. "I do not plan on bringing Santara in alive. I will kill him and take his head for proof." Jack glanced at her, a bit surprised that she even had the ability to kill someone; she looked so innocent. He returned his gaze to where it usually lay: the Caribbean.  
"Hmm." Jack said thoughtfully. "A nice, leisurely 'vacation' of betrayin', capturin', and killin' fellow pirates. Sounds..." he heavily breathed in the salty sea air, "...tantalizin'."  
  
* * *  
  
That night, Celeste slept uneasily, for she had never traveled on a ship before. When she awoke the next day, she dressed in a fancy, expensive looking red dress and went up on deck. She had her wavy hair down on her shoulders. She glanced around the deck, seeing glaring crew members bustling around and working hard.  
'Oh...' she thought. 'Should I help with something...? Nah.' she quickly abandoned that idea. 'Oh, of course.' she thought obviously. She looked up at the helm and, what do you know, Jack was stationed there gazing at, what do you know, the ocean.  
  
She made her way up the stairs helm-bound, the morning sun warming her face. The sun lit up the Caribbean like light blue stained glass in a window.  
"Morning, Jack." Celeste greeted. "Oh, er, I mean, Captain."  
"Mornin', er... er..." he trailed off, searching his brain for the right word.  
"Celeste." she reminded him, a little tired of having to repeat it.  
"Right! Celeste!" Jack exclaimed as though he had just remembered the right answer to a question. "We should be in Rosalia soon, er... er..."  
"Celeste! Celeste!" she cried impatiently.  
"Yes! Celeste! That's it!" he exclaimed. He might as well have been yelling 'eureka!' "We should be there in a few hours."  
"Oh, good!" she exclaimed happily. After a pause, Jack spoke again.  
"So, dear, why are you after this bounty?"  
"Well, one of the many reasons is that he stole from my family." she explained. "He stole a lot of money from us."  
"Judgin' from that dress, I'd say you're not sufferin' much from it." Jack concluded, glancing at the red dress.  
"Well, we are still financially stable."  
"Appears tha' way." Jack stated. He looked her up and down. "Don' look like you're starvin' neither."  
"What do you mean by that?!" she cried, offended. Cause and effect...  
SLAP! She'd slapped him hard across the face.  
"Bloody-- what did you do that for?!"  
"How dare you insinuate--"  
"I just meant tha' you look 'ealthty!" he cried, irritated.  
"Oh... okay... that's okay, then. Sorry." she apologized.  
"Aye, aye..." he trailed off mumbling. After a moment of awkward silence, Celeste spoke again in an attempt to make conversation.  
"So... Jack... where do you live?"  
"'ere on the Pearl. What do I look like, the bloody King of Spain? I'm a pirate." he replied irritably.  
"Well, I was just trying to make conversation!" she cried in defense.  
"Sorry, love," he sighed, "I was up late and up early captainin' so we could get to Rosalia sooner."  
"Oh, thanks, Jack, how nice!" she said sincerely.  
"I didn't do it for you." he added coldly. "I want me rum as soon as I can get it."  
"Well," she started, faking serious, "it's good to know that you have an extremely important and respectable errand there." she struggled to keep a straight face.  
"Ha, ha, ha." Jack said bitterly.  
Celeste made her way to the side of the ship and leaned on her elbows on the railing, gazing out at the sparkling Caribbean.  
'Now I can see why he just stares at the ocean all the time. It's beautiful.' she thought, mesmerized by the sea.  
"Er, can I do anything, Jack?" she asked. "I'm feeling a little useless. I'd be glad to help with something."  
"Er..." he contemplated. "Aye, ask Gibbs over there." he gestured to the deck.  
"Er, which one is Gibbs?" she asked.  
"That one." Jack pointed to a man in a blue vest and a tattered white (or used to be) shirt with the sleeves rolled up.  
"Ah. Okay, I'll do that." she stated. "Thanks, Jack." he nodded at her in acknowledgement. She went down the stairs and over to Gibbs.  
"Erm, hello." she greeted and he turned around.  
"Hello there, missy, who might you be?" Gibbs asked.  
"Celeste Wyndham, nice to meet you, Mr. Gibbs. Jack told me to ask you if there's anything I can do, any work that needs to be done, anything I can help with. I just want to help."  
"Aye, ye can help with the sails over there." Gibbs told her. "But, if I may ask, what are ye doin' here on the Pearl?" With that, she explained a little about the bounty. "Ah, well, that's very interestin'. I'll be amazed if ye can get Santara. Even with Jack's help. Man's bleedin' tough to the core."  
"Well, I'm out to try." Celeste said. "So, over there you said?" she pointed to some ropes.  
"Aye." Gibbs confirmed.  
"Thank you, sir." she made her way over to where the sails were tied down. A pirate with a large hat was stationed there, the hat covered their face.  
"Er, hello..." Celeste greeted uneasily. "I'm Celeste Wyndham." The pirate did not answer. "Erm, so what exactly do I do here? Helping with the sails and all..."  
"You just tighten the ropes." the pirate answered simply and rather bitterly.  
"Oh, my gosh!" Celeste cried. "You're a woman!"  
"Yes, it's amazing isn't it?" she answered sarcastically, removing her hat. She had dark skin, ebony hair, and dark brown eyes.  
"Oh, it's so good to finally see another woman aboard this ship!" Celeste happily told her. "What's your name?"  
"Anamaria."  
"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Celeste said cheerfully.  
"Pleasure." Anamaria replied bitterly. "What are you doing here?"  
"Well, Jack--"  
"Say no more." Anamaria nearly commanded. "'Company,' huh? Traveling convenience this time?"  
"What?! No!" Celeste cried. "No way! Don't even get that idea! See, the situation is..." and Celeste explained to Anamaria about the bounty. "...and now I'm here."  
"Aha. Well, have you any experience in being a pirate?" Anamaria asked as Jack walked up to them.  
"Well, er, no..." Celeste hesitated. "But I have studied a little... and I-I can swordfight! Just ask--" she glanced at Jack who threw her an 'ix- nay' look, obviously not wanting her to go blabbing about his defeat to her, "--ask... me about... how much training I've had! Yes!" she glanced back at Jack who gave a sigh of relief. Anamaria gave Celeste a strange look. She leaned over to Jack and quietly spoke her mind.  
"Batty, this one, Captain." she mumbled.  
"Mm." Jack mumbled in either acknowledgement or agreement. "Er, back to work, then. Doin' a great job." he left them.  
"So..." Celeste started, trying to make conversation, while yanking a rope, "did you and Jack ever have a thing together? I mean, it just seems like--" she saw Anamaria glaring at her. "Er, never mind, then! Sorry..." Celeste hesitated, sort of frightened of Anamaria at the moment. "Ah, heh, ha, ha..." she laughed awkwardly. Suddenly, in her hesitance, she loosened her grip on the rope, causing it to slide through her hands. "OW! Ahh!" she cried in pain and fear. She tightened her grip on the rope and tied it down. "Ouch! Ouch!" Celeste shook out her hands that were now red.  
"Try to be more careful!" Anamaria ordered impatiently. Celeste knew that if she had not caught the rope, one of the sails would have loosened up far too much and she could've messed up the whole journey. "And if you can't do that, then go do something else!"  
"S-sorry!" Celeste stuttered. "I-I guess I will do something else... Er, good day..."  
"Aye." Anamaria agreed indifferently.  
Celeste left Anamaria and those stupid sails and decided to go back up to the helm. She made her way towards the stairs and ran into Gibbs who was with another pirate. The other pirate was wearing a tattered brown jacket and a faded dark blue bandana on his head. He had a white beard and a blue and yellow parrot on his shoulder.  
"Hello, Mr. Gibbs." Celeste greeted.  
"Ah, Miss Wyndham, this is Cotton." Gibbs introduced.  
"Hello, Mr. Cotton. Nice to meet you. Celeste Wyndham."  
"Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!" the parrot squawked. She had been looking at Mr. Cotton, but her attention quickly diverted to the parrot at this. She glanced confusedly to Mr. Cotton and then back to the parrot and then Mr. Cotton again.  
"Oh, Cotton's a mute." Gibbs explained. "Had his tongue cut out years ago. He trained his parrot to talk for him. No one's yet figure how..."  
"Ah..." Celeste started, "well, er, pleasure to meet... you both... Well, I'm off to see Jack. Good day."  
"Good day." Gibbs bid her.  
"Awrk!" the parrot squawked. Celeste made her way up the creaking ship, passing working-hard pirates that scowled toughly at her. She sidestepped an oncoming pirate, which that looked unusually dirty, in protection of her pretty dress. She finally got to Jack who was still engrossed in the ocean.  
"Your eyes ever get tired, Jack?" she asked. "Goodness sakes, you just stare and stare and stare at the ocean. It's wet. It's blue. It's ripply. You've seen it millions of times!"  
"Yes, but it's really somethin' to look at, love." Jack replied dreamily. "Such beauty doesn' pop up everywhere, now, does it?" Celeste huffed slightly at this, thinking that she wasn't exactly chopped liver. She was no ocean, but she was no shark either. It wasn't that she was used to getting all the attention, but a little would be nice!  
  
Hope you liked that chapter! Oh, by the way, I'm putting as many chapters up at once as I can! So I may end up having a bunch of chapters up and no reviews yet! But that doesn't mean my story isn't good, it just means that I wrote it already! Anyway, please review! By the way, Celeste's last name (F.Y.I.) is pronounced "win-dum" Just because I spelled it funny, doesn't mean I want people to mispronounce it! Funny ol' english language, innit? 


	3. Chapter 3: Rosalia

Chapter 3: Rosalia  
  
About a half an hour later, they docked in the Port of Rosalia. Now it was clear why they called it Rosalia. There were roses everywhere! They were all of vibrant different colors and had large blooming blossoms. Jack and Celeste stepped off the gangplank and on the dock. They stopped and beheld the surroundings.  
"Ohh! This place is prettier than ever!" Celeste exclaimed, grabbing onto Jack's arm and shaking it in attempt to make him pay more attention. She inhaled deeply and took in the soft relaxing fragrance of the graceful flowers.  
"Aye, it is. An' they make such good rum..." Jack trailed off dreamily, thinking about the rum that soon be his. "Wha' do you need to get 'ere, if not their glorious rum?" Celeste sighed, irritated, weary of the fact that pirates were such rum-aholics. 'Come on, expensive wine at least?' she'd always thought.  
"Well, I have to buy a few things like--"  
"Me gun!" Jack exclaimed, surprising Celeste and causing her to jump. "Gimme back me gun!"  
"Oh, right." Celeste remembered. "I'll get it for you later. It's back in my room." Jack sighed in disappointment, but nodded in agreement. Kind of like a defeated puppy... how sad... but sort of funny considering who it was.  
'This is the tougher than nails pirate captain I've heard so many tales about?!' Celeste thought in disbelief.  
"Anyway," Celeste started, "I need to buy a pistol here. I've always wanted one! I also need new swords, new clothes, new--"  
"More clothes?!" Jack exclaimed.  
"Yes. I can never have enough." Celeste told him as if it were so obvious.  
"I'll never understand women..." Jack mumbled. "Well then," he started more audibly, "I'm off to buy me rum." he started towards the city.  
"Wait!" she called after him. He turned to look at her. "Come with me!"  
"Oh, I don't--"  
"Please!" Celeste pleaded. "I'll go with you to buy your rum later! I'll buy it for you, in fact. I don't know my way around the city like I used to, so..."  
"Oh, alright." Jack sighed, giving in to her puppy dog look.  
"Great!" Celeste exclaimed. She grabbed Jack's arm and dragged him towards the city.  
  
* * *  
  
By the time Celeste had finished her shopping, the sun was sinking behind the red sun-stained Caribbean, and she had her arms full of boxes. She had bought two medium-length, broad-bladed swords, a silver pistol, bullets for the pistol, and a red tri-corner hat that strongly resembled Jack's except for the color. She struggled to walk with the load,  
  
but it was dreadfully hard.  
"Oh, Jack!" Celeste whined. "Can't you help me with some of this?"  
"I suppose so." Jack replied, holding out his hands, ready to receive some boxes.  
"Great!" Celeste exclaimed. "Then you can hold this," she handed him a large, long box containing her swords, "and this," she handed him a smaller but still rather large box containing her pistol, "and this, and this." she piled the hat box on top of the other two, and then, on top of everything, she piled a medium sized box containing the pistol bullets. Jack was buried up to his neck in boxes.  
"Erm... this is quite a load, darling." he hesitated, struggling not to drop anything.  
"Well, I just figured that a big, strong man like you could handle it." she said, running her hand down his arm. "But if you can't handle it..."  
"Oh, well, er, yes... Yes I can." Jack assured in a slightly deeper voice, straightening his posture. "I just meant that, er, you bought quite a lot."  
"Oh, okay, that's what I thought." she added, faking a sweet tone and smile. She overcame her will to laugh out loud at Jack's ego, and spoke again. "So, off to buy your rum, then?"  
"Yes, yes, let's go!" Jack pressed.  
"Which way is the pub?" Celeste asked.  
"Righ' over there." he pointed to a building with a sign that read 'Charlie's Pub' hanging from it.  
"Ah, good." she started for the pub. Jack struggled under the weight of the boxes and began to stagger slowly but surely (and rather comically) to follow her. The way he walked (or rather, staggered) was a mix of carrying too much weight and trying to hide the fact that it was indeed to much weight.  
"Come, Jack!" Celeste called. Jack followed, struggling.  
  
* * *  
  
They entered the pub and beheld at least twenty drunken men wandering around, singing, dancing, and passing out.  
"Henry!" Jack called to a man who was hunched over a bottle of rum. He set down the boxes by the door. Since the boxes seemingly belonged to Jack Sparrow (and they knew him well in a place like this), no one would steal them.  
"Wh-who is it?" the man called back to Jack, extremely drunk. "What's the password?!"  
"Henry, ol' boy!" Jack laughed, slapping him on the back. "It's Jack!"  
"Ah! Jack! How ye doin', ol' Jack?" Henry yelled to him, even though he stood right next to him. "Back again, eh?" he glanced at Celeste. "Found some more 'company,' 'ave ye?" he laughed. Celeste looked offended and disgusted. "Ye always did come back for more!" he laughed again. Celeste scoffed in disgust. Henry kept trying to take a drink from the rum bottle he was holding, but he would miss his mouth every time; he tried to raise the top to his mouth, but he would hit his nose or his jaw each time.  
"Er," Jack hesitated, looking at Celeste and then back to Henry. "Wh- what are  
  
you talkin' about? I-I never--"  
"What?!" Henry yelled, missing the bottle top again. "You're a legend 'round here! We heard you had at least five women in your room the night you left!"  
"Jack!" Celeste squealed in disapproval.  
"'e's drunk. Doesn't know what 'e's talkin' about..." Jack trailed off. He turned away from Celeste and started towards the bar. "Goodbye, Henry!" He rushed over to the bar.  
"I swear, Jack, sometimes..." Celeste sighed. She went and stood next to him.  
"Jack!" the bartender exclaimed.  
"Charlie, me ol' pal!" Jack exclaimed.  
"Long time no see! Back for more company, eh?" he laughed. Celeste scoffed.  
"Excuse me, sir, but how dare you?!" she exclaimed angrily. "I happen to be a friend of Jack's! Part of his crew, as a matter of fact!" Jack had his eyes shut tight, a look on his face that screamed 'big mistake.'  
"Whoa! I'm sorry, Miss!" Charlie exclaimed. "I didn't mean to--"  
"Must we bring our business here, Jack?" Celeste complained.  
"They 'ave the best rum in the Caribbean, love." Jack reasoned calmly, trying to calm her down.  
"Ugh! Fine!" she gave in. "Just get your rum and get me out of here! AH!" just then, a drunken man flew into the bar right in back of her. She jumped forward, basically into Jack's arms. She didn't realize where she was for a moment until...  
"UNHAND ME!" she yelled at Jack and sprung backwards.  
"I didn't 'hand' you in the first place..." Jack trailed off. He then lowered his voice, "But maybe later, if you--"  
SLAP! Celeste slapped him hard in the face.  
"You are so despicable!" she cried as she crossly folded her arms across her stomach and looked away from him.  
"Pirate." Jack shrugged, smirking. Celeste sighed in irritation. "Er, why don't you, er, look at the pretty rum over there..." he reasoned, placing his hand on her shoulder and gesturing towards the other end of the bar where some rum bottles were displayed in cases. "I need to talk to Charlie for a moment, darling."  
"Oh? Something I cant hear?" Celeste asked suspiciously. "Well, that's just fine. I don't want to hear it anyway."  
"Good." Jack said, seeing her to the other end of the bar. Celeste paused for a moment.  
"What is it that I don't want to hear?"  
"Nothing you're interested in." he replied.  
"Ohh, I hate being left out of the loop!" she cried.  
"It's not gossip, love. It's, er, man to man talk." Jack hesitated.  
"Yuck! Never mind!" Celeste dismissed in disgust. She stationed herself at the end of the bar near the display of rum bottles.  
Jack walked back to the other end of the bar and sat down on a stool in front of Charlie. After Jack thought she was out of earshot, he spoke.  
"So, tell me, Charlie, wha' 'ave I missed 'ere in Rosalia?"  
  
"To tell you the truth, Jack," he explained, "not much."  
"Ah, yes, I am all the action 'roun' 'ere." Jack flattered himself, studying his nails.  
"You get all the action around here." Charlie stated, staring at Celeste, who had just hopped out of the way of a drunken man. "You always did hog it all. It's not fair. Never was."  
"Now, Charlie, life isn't fair, now is it?" Jack taunted.  
"So, what have you been up to lately, Jack?" Charlie asked, drying a glass mug with a rag. "Besides..." he nodded his head at Celeste.  
"'aven' you 'eard the stories?" Jack asked obviously.  
"About the Black Pearl and the cursed treasure?" Charlie asked. "Of course I have. Who hasn't? But are they all true?"  
"Aye, they are. All of 'em"  
"Even the one about how you made wings out of palm prongs and flew off a high rocky cliff down to the Black Pearl?" Charlie asked eagerly.  
"Oh, yes, that was quite an amazin' feat o' mine." Jack lied without showing flaw, looking at his nails again.  
Apparently, Celeste wasn't as out of earshot as Jack had figured. She had excellent hearing added to the fact that Jack and Charlie had to speak a little louder than intended to hear each other over the bar racket. She covered a laugh because of Charlie's last question with a hesitant look at all the drunk people. When she heard Jack's answer, she scoffed.  
"So, this young lady you're with... who is she?" Charlie asked curiously, eyeing Celeste. "Real high class one you got this time."  
"Oh, jus' some girl who insisted on followin' me from Ruby Falls. Mad, she is."  
"Got 'em chasing after you now?" Charlie asked. "Lucky dog. But if you didn't want her to follow you, then why'd you let her? Not going soft on us, are you?" he asked tauntingly.  
"Oh, no. She's... she's rich. An' she wants to play pirate for a little while, so as long as I get rum an' money out o' 'er, I'm satisfied." Jack stated rudely.  
"Rum and money? Is that all you want to get out of her?" Charlie laughed disgustingly.  
"Maybe, if she's lucky." Jack laughed. "We'll jus' see 'ow long I'll 'ave to wait." he shrugged.  
'Play pirate?' Celeste thought angrily, pretending she hadn't heard. 'Lucky I have bloody good hearing. Great. Now I can expect a knife in my back.' she turned to face the wall and smiled cruelly, Jack in mind. 'I'll make sure I get exactly what I want out of you, Jack Sparrow. I can wrap you around my finger. Your ego is too big and your mind is too narrow...' She paused for a moment and then, '"More than rum and money?" "If she's lucky?" Ugh! I am so going to get him back for that!'  
"Well, that certainly sounds like you, Jack!" Charlie laughed.  
"Aye, but this one's a little stubborn." Jack stated, conjuring a plan inside that unwashed, improper pirate head of his. "Your strongest rum, then." They both laughed like pigs.  
'Men...' Celeste thought disgustedly.  
  
"Have a drink on the house, Jack!" Charlie filled two glass mugs with rum and handed one to Jack. "Here's to Jack!"  
"Take what you can," Jack started.  
"Give nothing back!" they both toasted  
"Jack! Get your rum and let's go!" Celeste called.  
  
Okay, well I certainly do hope you liked that chapter! Please review! I worked for MONTHS and every time I got a spare second on this fic! No wonder I got that grade in Spanish... Ah, well, it was worth it! Stress relief, you know! One moment of thinking of Jack and I'm okay again! ^^; ! Anyway, please review! 


	4. Chapter 4: Rum and Taxes

Chapter 4: Rum and Taxes  
  
Jack and Celeste left the pub, Jack carrying all the boxes, Celeste carrying Jack's rum resentfully. Celeste reflected on what she'd done that day and made sure she'd done all that she'd needed to do.  
'Let's see...pistol...bullets...swords...hat...clothes...' she'd gone to the tailor shop earlier and gotten them to design her some Jack-like clothes A.S.A.P. They'd be ready by the end of the week. '...knife in the back... Got it all.' They made their way back to the Black Pearl and situated themselves in the dining room; each at either end of the dining table, facing one another.  
"Rum, darling?" Jack offered, pouring a glass of rum for himself. He acted as though he'd never even said that remark back at the pub.  
"Certainly not. I don't drink." she replied coldly, remembering what he said he was going to do with the rum. Jack shrugged and took a swig of rum. "You know what I really can't stand?" Celeste asked spitefully.  
"Wha', love?" Jack asked, not really paying attention.  
"When people underestimate me..." Jack stopped in mid-drink, moved the glass from his mouth, and set it down on the table, knowing his mistake, "...and mistakenly misjudge me." She glared spitefully at him.  
"Wha' do you mean, darling?" he asked, faking innocence.  
"Don't 'darling' me! And you know what I mean, Jack Sparrow!" she heard Jack mumble a 'Captain' under his breath. "'Playing pirate,' am I?" she stood up and slammed her fist into the table. She calmed her voice a little now. "If I am, then duel against me again."  
"Oh, darling, I--"  
"Come on, what are you afraid of?" Celeste pressed.  
"Darling, I didn't mean that." Jack reasoned regretfully. "I just... 'ave a reputation to keep up. You know 'ow it--"  
"Oh, and I don't need one at all!" she yelled. "That was very rude of you, Jack Sparrow!" Jack mumbled another 'Captain.' "I'm serious now. Duel."  
"It's a waste of our time an' energy, love."  
"Scared you'll get beaten by a girl again?" she taunted.  
"I let you win las' time." Jack sighed.  
"You didn't even know it was me!"  
"I wasn' abou' to make a scene with a civilian."  
"Jack, you are a selfish man." Celeste stated angrily. "A selfish, ignorant, rude, stupid man!"  
"Show some respec' to your captain, aye?" Jack replied calmly. It only made her more angry. Not taking her seriously was a serious mistake.  
  
"Come on, Jack, if you're so great, prove it." Celeste egged.  
"Fine." Jack agreed calmly, smiling. "Anything to get me back to me rum."  
  
"On deck in ten minutes." Celeste stated and stormed out.  
Ten minutes later, Celeste and Jack met up on deck. The crew was still down in the dining hall eating dinner. Celeste had dressed in the outfit she'd first fought Jack in: brown pants, knee-high boots, and a loose white shirt. She had her two new swords, while Jack had his long sword. Celeste also wore her new red had and tucked her hair into it all except for two long strands in the front. The shining blades of the swords gleamed in the moonlight.  
"Why don't you count off this time, Jack?" Celeste suggested bitterly. She stood about five feet from Jack.  
"One," Jack counted, feeling slightly foolish, "two--" Celeste swiped at Jack's right arm, Jack barely blocked it. "I didn't say three." he smirked.  
"I thought pirates didn't play fair." Celeste stated simply. She swiped with both swords at Jack's waist. He jumped back and swung his sword at her shoulder. She blocked it with both her swords; she leaned back from the force of the strike. She pushed Jack's sword away from her with her swords. She swung overhead with her left sword and then the right and repeated it for at least five more strikes; Jack quickly blocked them. Suddenly, Jack swung overhead at her, she blocked it with one sword, but fell over from the force of it. Jack chuckled softly.  
"Wha'd I tell you?" Jack smiled confidently. He had his sword pointed at her neck, inches away. She leaned back on one hand.  
"Miss something, Jack?" she asked, a smug smile on her face. He looked down and saw that she had the tip of one of her swords pressed against his lower stomach. His eyes widened for a moment, in surprise.  
"Don' want that sword to slip, love." He moved his sword away from her and sheathed it. She sheathed both her swords as well. Jack helped her up.  
"Am I still playing pirate?" she asked.  
"Well done, love." he congratulated, shrugging it off.  
"Yes, I figured." she stated. "Thank you." she laughed and pulled off her hat; her hair fell on her shoulders. The tiny bit of blond in her hair was illuminated by the moonlight. "You meant what you said back at the pub, didn't you?" Celeste asked sincerely. "Just tell me."  
"No, darling, I didn't." Jack sighed. "I 'ave a reputation you know."  
"The truth." Celeste said, looking him in the eye. How could he lie now? To those eyes?  
He sighed and looked away from her. "At the time, maybe."  
"I thought so." she sighed. "Well, at least you're not lying to me." Her eyes widened; she'd just remembered something. "What about that 'maybe if she's lucky' crack you made?" she demanded. "The truth, Mr. Sparrow."  
Jack looked around nervously. "Er... maybe... at the time."  
"And I suppose the excuse for that would just be: 'Pirate.' Right?" she asked. Jack opened his mouth to answer, but she cut him off. "Well, just so you know, it won't work. I don't drink and I have morals." she turned her nose up at him and folded her arms across her stomach stubbornly. "Why would you say something like that?!"  
"Er... reputation...?" Jack shrugged. She stepped up to him and slapped him hard across the face. Jack recoiled, grabbing his stinging jaw. She stormed over to the door to the stairs.  
"I suppose I deserved that." Jack admitted, rubbing his face.  
"Aye, that one you deserved!" she assured. "Do not ever say anything like that about me ever again! Because no matter what you do, Jack, all you can do is dream." she said bitterly as her lip curled and she shot him a spiteful look. Wow, if looks could kill... Poor Jack...  
"I-I'm sorry, darling." he told her, as if saying, 'Well, sorry, nothing I can do,' instead.  
"I'm sure." she replied sarcastically and bitterly. "Anyway, I'm glad this happened. Do you know what this proves?" Jack shrugged. "We're equal." she stormed through the doorway and slammed the door shut.  
"Ouch." Jack muttered, rubbing his jaw, his brow furrowed.  
  
* * *  
The next day, Celeste woke up and put on a pretty blue dress. She took Jack's gun from her dresser drawer and headed up on deck.  
"Morning, Captain." she greeted, but she didn't sound mad.  
"Mornin', love." Jack greeted. "You cheered up fast." He had been leaning up against the mast, looking out at the city, but his eyes were fixed on her.  
"I still don't forgive you for that atrocious remark, but... you'll make it up to me. I'll make sure of it"  
"Hm." Jack replied thoughtfully. "Anyway, you sure do sleep a bloody long time. I was up nigh three hours ago."  
"Here." Celeste tossed him his gun. He caught it.  
"Me gun!" Jack exclaimed. "Ah, me gun! I missed you terribly, Genevive!" Celeste raised an eyebrow. "What?" Jack asked, seriously not knowing why she was looking at him like that.  
She shook her head. "You're insane."  
  
* * *  
  
A black-haired girl walked cautiously down the street. Her hair was cut in bangs and she wore a purple frilly dress, yet it was fairly old- looking and worn. She thought she heard footsteps behind her and hastened her speed. She looked back but saw no one. She was looking back and continuing to walk forward, not looking where she was going.  
SMACK! She ran right into an old white-haired man dressed in a brown suit.  
"'ello." he greeted.  
"Sir!" she exclaimed. "Wha' a surprise! I were jus' on my way to pay ya."  
"Oh? Well then, you can do tha' righ' now." he stated staunchly.  
"Oh..." she mumbled nervously. "Yes... O' course." she started to open her purple purse when she looked past the man and down the street. She gasped. "Oh my goodness!" she yelled and pointed past him. He turned around to see why she'd yelled and she took off. She dashed at all speed down the street to the left of her.  
"Guards!" the man yelled. "After 'er!" Guards that were stationed nearby immediately ran after her. She sharply turned a corner. There were houses to her left and a gray brick wall to her right which ended at the start of another brick wall running left (north) a ways down.  
The guards quickly caught up to her, making a half circle around her. She wasn't even remotely athletic so catching up to her was no challenge to the guards. She ran to the end of the wall; they backed her into a corner and pointed their bayonets at her. The old man pushed his way in and stood in front of her.  
"Where d'you think you're goin'?" he asked angrily. "Your rent an' taxes are late."  
"Well, a-as ya know..." she stuttered, out of breath, "business is slow as o' late. Ou' o' town folks are my main customers..."  
"Go ou' an' get a real job, then!" the old man suggested cruelly.  
"This... is all I c'n do." she stuttered. "'s not easy paintin' all day 'n' all nigh'! I-I got talent, I do!"  
"A talent for gettin' yourself inta trouble!" the man stated coldly. "You're evicted. Everythin' you 'ad belongs to me in lieu of your rent."  
"But-but I was gonna pay ya!" the girl cried.  
"Your taxes mus' be paid. So pay me now."  
"You cant evic' me, sir!" she pleaded. "I'd've no place ta go!"  
"Your problem, not mine." he retorted cruelly. "Now pay me, or it's to th' gallows you'll go!"  
"'o-onestly... I lef' the money on th' dock this mornin'! Tha's why I were runnin'. Goin' down to get it, I was!" she explained hesitantly. "If you'd tell these guards ta get away fr'm me, I'll go 'n' get it!" the man thought for a moment.  
"Okay, guards, back off a little. But not much!"  
"Thank ya." she said and started walking north towards the docks. She looked back hesitantly.  
"An' no tricks!" the man commanded. She faked a smile and decided. She held her breath and started running again, headed down the docks.  
  
* * *  
  
"...and so I said, "It's not like he's your brother or anything!'" Celeste explained to Jack who was looking past her and down at something in the city. "Jack? Are you listening to me?"  
"Erm, sorry, love... but that's a rather strange sight." He nodded towards the black-haired girl running down the docks. Celeste turned around to see what Jack had nodded to. They both went to the ship's railing to get a better look.  
"Don' see that everyday." Jack stated.  
"Couldn't be..." Celeste said absently. She ran over to the gangplank and ran down it to the docks. "Angelina!" Celeste called to the girl. She looked over and veered towards Celeste. "Hurry! Get on the ship!" Celeste commanded and Angelina obeyed. She ran up the gangplank and to the railing of the ship, looking over. Celeste stood on the gangplank and blocked entrance to the ship.  
"Halt!" Celeste commanded to the guards with her hands firmly planted on her hips. The guards slowed to a stop as they reached the bottom of the gangplank.  
"Miss, there is a criminal aboard your ship!" a guard exclaimed. "We must capture her!"  
"Angelina?" Celeste asked skeptically, pointing over her shoulder at Angelina with her thumb. "What could she possibly have done?"  
"It's not 'er ship, it's my ship." Jack mumbled, still standing high up at the railings.  
"You can't get on my ship." Celeste said stubbornly.  
"It's my ship!" Jack called down from above; she ignored him.  
"But--"  
"No one's given you permission to search my ship!" Celeste accused.  
"It's my ship!" Jack yelled again.  
"According to the Constitution--" Celeste stopped. "Oh, darn, this is the bloody Caribbean! I forget..." the guards stared at her. "I'm an American." she shrugged, smiling.  
"We must get that woman!" the guard commanded.  
"How much money does she owe?" Celeste sighed.  
"Twenty-five shillings."  
"That's all?!" Celeste asked, irritated. "You would go this mad over twenty-five shillings?! That's why you wanted to trespass on my ship?!"  
"It's my ship!" Jack yelled once more.  
"Shut up, Jack!" Celeste ordered. "Now," she began calmly to the guards, "here you go." she pulled twenty-five shillings out of her purse and handed it to the head guard. "You will never treat my friend so rudely over something so bloody stupid ever, aye?" the guards nodded and began to march off. "Wait!" she called. They turned around. "You and... you," she pointed to some good-looking guards in the front, "no, not you, you! Yes, you! Both of you have permission to get on my ship." she smiled. The guards marched off.  
As she strode up the gangplank, she heard Jack yelling: "It's my ship, and no you don't!" She got back up on deck and went to Angelina, who was leaning against the railing and still rather out of breath.  
"Angelina!" Celeste exclaimed. "How have you been? It's been ages!"  
"Not too grea' obviously. I got evicted from my 'ouse." Angelina replied sadly. Celeste gasped.  
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she cried.  
"Thank ya for payin' my taxes anyway. I'll pay ya back as soon as I can." Angelina thanked gratefully.  
"Oh, don't worry about it." Celeste told her. "Anything for a good friend such as you."  
"Thank ya, mate." Angelina replied. "By the way, who is, er..." she nodded at Jack.  
"Oh, right. Jack, come here!" Celeste called. Jack eyed Angelina suspiciously and sauntered over. He looked at Celeste.  
"You're an American?" Jack asked.  
"Yes." she replied.  
"You never tol' me." Jack said.  
"You never asked." Celeste stated. "Now, Angelina, this is Jack. Captain Jack Sparrow! Famous pirate who's going to help me get the bounty on Bartholomeu Santara!"  
"That's keepin' it quiet." Jack mumbled sarcastically. "Secrecy is your business, love."  
"Jack, this is Angelina. A very good friend of mine from ages ago."  
"Er, nice to meet you, Cap'n Sparr -- CAPTAIN SPARROW?!" Angelina exclaimed. "I've 'eard tons o' tales 'bout you! Your're amazin'! Incred'bly pleased ta meet ya, sir!"  
"Pleasure to meet you too." he replied, surprised at her reaction. He took her hand and kissed it. "I'm very flattered that you've 'eard of me." he told her proudly. "It's good to know that some people know 'ow to show respect." he shot a glare at Celeste. Celeste glared back at him for a moment, but quickly blew him off.  
"So, do you want to come with us?" Celeste asked Angelina. "You've got nowhere else to go, and this bounty thing should be fun!" Jack chuckled.  
"Darling, darling." he chuckled. "You're new on me ship, I know, so I'll let you off on this. But I am the captain an' you shoul' really ask for me permission first, savvy?"  
"Oh, I hate this captain thing." Celeste complained. "Alright then, Captain, let her come?"  
"No offense on you, love," he warned Angelina and then looked back at Celeste again, "but... more burden?"  
"None taken..." Angelina mumbled sarcastically.  
"Oh, come on, Jack!" Celeste cried. "She got evicted from her house! She's got nowhere to live! Don't be so cold!"  
"You're enough burden on me, darling." he told Celeste.  
"What?!" Celeste protested.  
"Come, come, darling..." Jack chuckled. "You can't do anything on this ship."  
"I-I can!" she retorted.  
"You just stand 'round all day." Jack said.  
"I-I just..." Celeste stuttered. "You-you haven't told me to do anything!"  
"Aye, you 'ave a right to be 'ere." Jack explained. "Our deal. But..." Celeste glared at him. He didn't mean to rile her, but...  
"Fine." she started in a sarcastic voice. "Then we'll just leave poor Angelina here to die and rot!" Angelina looked panicked. "What say you, Captain? Sound fun?"  
"Don't talk to me like that, darling." Jack sighed. "I am your superior, so--" With that, Celeste slapped him hard across the face. He staggered back from the force of it.  
"Don't you ever say that to me." she stated angrily. "You'll treat me like what I am. Your equal." He clutched his jaw in pain. "Remember that next time you feel like saying something exceptionally stupid. Because I'm not afraid to do that again."  
"Apparently." Jack muttered. Celeste turned from him, grabbed Angelina's wrist, and pulled her off the ship.  
  
* * *  
  
Celeste and Angelina went into town and walked into a dress shop.  
"Sorry about Jack." Celeste explained. "He's usually very nice and only says stupid things about five times a minute instead of ten."  
"Hello." a voice from behind them greeted. They turned around to see a very good looking man in a military uniform. "Have I met you two before?" he asked. "You look awfully familiar."  
"No, sir." Celeste said, stepping forward. "I am sure I would remember you."  
"And what are your names?" he asked.  
"Celeste. Pleasure to meet you." she held out her hand for him to kiss, but he ignored her.  
"And you?" he asked Angelina.  
"A-Angelina..." she hesitated.  
"Ah, enchanted to meet you." he replied and kissed her hand. "I am Lieutenant Williams."  
"N-nice ta meet ya..." Angelina stuttered.  
"I am having a little masquerade party tonight at my manor. Care to join me?" he asked.  
"A party?!" Celeste exclaimed excitedly. "Yes! We'd love to come!"  
"Great. Ask any of the guards for directions to my manor and they will give them to you. Around nine o' clock?"  
"Yes, sir!" Celeste confirmed.  
"Miss Angelina, would you be interested in being my guest?" he asked.  
"O-okay..." she hesitated, being very shy around men.  
"Oh, and," he looked at Celeste, "bring someone if you like." He walked out.  
"Hmph." Celeste snorted, insulted. "But... ooh!" she exclaimed. "I've heard of Lieutenant Williams! Wow..." she paused, suddenly looking distressed. "Oh, no! I've got to find someone to go with!"  
The next few hours were spent searching for those two guards that Celeste had taken an interest in earlier that day, to see if they'd heard about the party and if they'd be going. Celeste figured she could work the conversation around to them asking her. Her asking them would not be proper, you know. They'd found both of them, but there was a flaw in both. The first one they found was not interested, and the second was married. Darn. Well, back to the Pearl...  
  
Please review! 


	5. Chapter 5: PARTY!

Chapter 5: PARTY!  
  
Oh, no!" Celeste sighed as she and Angelina stepped onto the deck of the Black Pearl. "I don't have anyone to go to the party with! I've got to find someone! I've got to!"  
"Uh, oh... I jus' thought o' somethin'..." Angelina hesitated. "I don't 'ave a costume. Much less... any other clothes at all..."  
"Well, you can borrow some of mine." Celeste assured calmly. "Come on, let's get ready." Just then, Jack came up on deck. "...Captain." she greeted coldly.  
"I, erm--"  
"Save it, I'm busy." she interrupted. She pulled Angelina past Jack, down the stairs, and into her room where they picked out dresses and all to wear to the party.  
A little while later, Celeste go an idea into her scheming head.  
"Angelina, stay here." she told her. "I'll be back in a minute." Celeste then went up on deck. Upon spotting Jack, who was standing at the side of the ship, looking at the sunset, she went and leaned on the railing next to him.  
"Good evening, Captain." she greeted bitterly.  
"Evenin', love." he greeted uneasily. "I, er, I wanted to say that I'm sorry for the, er, things I said earlier."  
"No you're not." she replied. "You're just saying that to shut me up."  
"That's not true, darling." he assured. "I am sorry. It's just... I am the captain an' all. I'm used to superiority..."  
"Well, get un-used to it." Celeste commanded. "We are equal. I proved that to you. Get that straight."  
"Okay, alright." Jack surrendered. "I'm sorry! You will forgive me, won't you?" Celeste stood for a moment in thought; she had a plan.  
"Do you really want my forgiveness?" she asked.  
"Aye, I do."  
"Well, then, do me three favors." Celeste stated.  
"This is always 'ow it ends..." Jack sighed. "Well, what are they?"  
"One: you let Angelina come with us. Two: you treat me as your equal. And three..." she started, almost reluctantly, "you escort me the masquerade party at Lieutenant Williams's manor tonight."  
Jack thought for a moment, his brow furrowed. He shrugged. "Sure. Done, done, done. Whatever I 'ave to do jus' so I don' invoke your bloody frightenin' anger."  
"Knew you'd see it my way." Celeste said, resolute. 'Just as I thought.' Celeste thought. 'I can wrap you around my finger. All too easily.' she laughed to herself. 'Not to mention a fairly low-cut dress and a shipload of guilt that helped me along the way. This is just too easy.' she laughed to herself again. She cleared her throat.  
"We should be getting ready for the party." she stated. "We should leave in about... an hour and a half (fashionably late, you know)." Jack nodded. They walked  
  
down the stairs and came to Celeste's room. "Oh, and, Jack... Try to make yourself look a little more... presentable." she turned and went into her room and shut the door, laughing. Jack headed down the hall to his room grumbling.  
  
* * *  
  
A little while later, they all came out of their rooms and met up on deck. Celeste and Angelina wore pretty, feathery dresses that looked rather expensive. Celeste's was red and Angelina's was white. They had matching feathery masks on sticks that they held up. They both had their hair tied up; Angelina's in a bun, Celeste's the same, but with some strands of hair randomly hanging down. Jack seemed to be clad in his normal garb.  
"Jack!" Celeste exclaimed. "This is a masquerade party! Where's your costume? You wear that every day!" she told him, with a slight wince at the fact that it seemed he did indeed wear that every day.  
"Well, this is me costume." Jack explained. "I'm a pirate pretendin' to be a citizen pretendin' to be a pirate, aren' I? So this fit's the occasion. Interchangeable, o' course."  
"Aha..." Celeste said. "Well then, shall we go?"  
"Aye." Jack agreed. He held out his arm for Celeste. She grabbed onto it and they made their way to the gangplank. As they did so, Celeste noticed something different about Jack. What was it? She looked him over to try and notice what the change was. He glanced down at her through the corner of his eye, no doubt wondering what on Earth she was doing. She then realized it and returned her careful gaze to her feet as they descended the gangplank. She smiled, half amused, half flattered.  
"Wow, Jack." she said to him. "Hygiene. I'm impressed." Jack scoffed at her. "You're a revolutionary pirate, you know. A real rebel." she held back her urge to laugh at his slight offense and continued to walk, now on the docks. Angelina walked behind them. Honestly, Jack didn't smell as unwashed and rum-full as before. His hair was basically a lost cause, but nothing at any time had ever lived in it like most pirates. Amazing. It wasn't filthy, in fact, it was nearly clean. It didn't look too clean, but apparently it was!  
Soon, they had found a guard to ask directions from and he directed them to a large road that would lead them to Lieutenant Williams's manor.  
They entered the yard and beheld the large, four story mansion.  
"Wow, how rich is this guy?" Celeste asked, eyeing the mansion as well as the fully landscaped yard. Jack smiled mischievously. "Now, Jack don't you dare steal anything! We are guests here."  
"Oh, come on, love. Takin' me in there's like takin' kid in a candy store."  
"Jack, please!" Celeste pleaded. "I need to make a good impression. This man is high in the social chain. Please behave yourself!" she threateningly tightened her grip on his arm.  
"I'll do me best, darling." Jack assured falsely. Celeste sighed and they all walked through the large white doors. A man wearing a white curly wig met them inside.  
"Your names?" he asked them. They paused. "I must announce your arrival."  
  
They were standing at the top of a tall, white, marble staircase with a red carpet that led to the bottom of it, to the dance floor.  
"Jack." Jack said. "Jack--"  
"Don't use your real name!" Celeste whispered casually.  
"Oh, O-O..." he glanced around and spotted a nearby lamp. "O... Lantern..." Celeste and Angelina smothered their desire to laugh hysterically. The man looked at Celeste.  
"Celeste..." she hesitated. She fidgeted and then blurted out: "Celeste Nichols-Esteroy-Gillison-Callister-Onical... the third..." she trailed off and smiled awkwardly. The man raised an eyebrow and looked at Angelina.  
"Angelina..." she glanced down at the food tables by the dance floor, "Caviar!" she suddenly felt very hungry. 'Mmm... caviar...' she thought.  
The man rang a little bell and got the large group of people at the bottom of the stairs' attention.  
"Entering now is Mr. Jack O' Lantern, Miss Celeste..." he hesitated, "Miss Angelina Caviar." They hurried down the stairs, Celeste still on Jack's arm, and people started dancing again. Suddenly, Lieutenant Williams rushed over to greet them, one of them, anyway.  
"Ah, miss... what was it?" he asked Angelina.  
"Caviar. Angelina Caviar." she responded. Celeste held back laughter.  
"Yes, Miss Caviar, come. I'd like to introduce you to some people." he took her hand (hardly giving Celeste and Jack a sideways glance) and started to lead her off. Angelina looked back at Celeste and gave her a desperate 'don't leave me' look, but Celeste just gave her a thumbs up and went with Jack to the refreshment table.  
"Celeste?!" a girl's voice behind them exclaimed. Celeste let go of Jack's arm and turned around.  
"Audra?!" Celeste squeaked. "You still live here?"  
"Yes! What are you doing here?" Audra squealed. They hugged.  
"I'm going to go after the bounty on Bartholomeu Santara." Celeste whispered.  
"An' again I say, secrecy is you business, darling." Jack mumbled.  
"Wow!" Audra exclaimed, impressed.  
"I heard he'd passed by here lately." Celeste told Audra quietly.  
"Aye, that he did." Audra replied. "Didn't come into town though, luckily. Just sailed on by. In a hurry, I'd suppose."  
"Aha! I knew it!" Celeste quietly exclaimed. "Where was he headed? Do you know?"  
"No." Audra replied. "Ask someone who sails a lot. Or a guard or something. Maybe Lieutenant Williams."  
"Aye. Perhaps." Celeste sighed. "Anyway, I'm getting help from this man here." she gestured to Jack. "He's -- get this -- Jack Sparrow!" she whispered.  
"Captain." Jack quietly corrected.  
"What?!" Audra cried.  
"Shh!" Celeste hushed. "Jack," she addressed, her voice returning to normal level. "This is my best friend ever! Audra Giles! Audra, Jack. Jack, Audra."  
  
"Pleasure to meet you!" Audra said happily. She then leaned over and whispered to him: "I've always thought pirates are sooo interesting and exiting!" Celeste snickered slightly. "Especially the stories I've heard about you, Captain." Celeste scowled at Audra's words. Jealously? Why...?  
"Thank you." Jack said to her, a little taken aback. "Pleasure to meet you as well, darling." he kissed Audra's hand. Celeste scowled again, fully disgusted and jealous.  
'Wh-what am I getting so worked up over?' Celeste thought. 'Snap out of it! He's a scoundrel!' she straightened up.  
"Oh, Jack!" Celeste exclaimed, then lowered her voice. "You know who would make a wonderful addition to our crew?"  
"Oh, n--"  
"With your permission, Captain." Celeste interrupted him. She took his arm again. "Please!" she looked up at him with big sad eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. "Please, please!" she leaned up against him. "She can help us a lot! She's really smart! And she's rich! Please, please, pleeeeeease!"  
Jack sighed. "Alright..."  
"Yay!" Celeste cried, and then lowered her voice again. "Audra, how would you like to travel with us? Bounty. Treasure. Fun! Piracy..."  
"Wow!" Audra cried, slightly shocked. "It's sudden, but... sure! Adventure! This'll be great! It's so boring here!"  
"Do you think you can get permission to come?" Celeste asked.  
"I'm an adult! I don't need to ask Daddy for permission!" Audra said. She paused for a moment. "Okay, so I do. But I'll be able to come! I'll just say I'm going on a very educational journey."  
"Great!" Celeste said. "Have you seen that big black ship out there? The one with black sails docked in the port?"  
"Yes."  
"Good. That's where we are. Come there on Friday, okay?"  
"I will!" Audra confirmed.  
"Okay, Jack, why don't you just mingle? Audra and I have tons to catch up on." Celeste told him.  
"Sure, darling." he took a plate from the table and started picking up food. Celeste and Audra walked off, talking.  
Jack picked up a fork and knife and examined them. He looked over and saw a man wearing a brown wig across from him.  
"Excuse me." Jack said to the man.  
"Yes?" the man answered.  
"Is this pure silver?" Jack asked.  
"Oh, yes, some of the finest in Rosalia." the man replied.  
"Ah, yes, I figured so." Jack added. "I 'ave some jus' like it at 'ome." he lied. He casually dropped the knife and fork on the floor. "Whoops." The man walked off. Jack bent down and retrieved the silverware, but instead of returning them to the table, he stuffed them in his pocket, still leaning over.  
"So..." Audra started. "Jack. What's going on there?"  
  
"Nothing! Nothing at all!" Celeste replied defensively. "He's a pirate and a despicable man!"  
"So... he's free, then?" Audra asked.  
"Er, yes. I don't really care." Celeste falsely dismissed, waving an uncaring hand around.  
"Good." Audra returned. "He is rather charming, don't you think? Very good- looking."  
"I-I don't know." Celeste blew off indifferently.  
"Mmm... I think he's gorgeous." Audra purred. "What a trip this'll be! Real educational!" Celeste snickered. She took a deep breath and shook herself back to reality, reassuring herself that Jack is a rascal, a scoundrel, a villain, a knave! A devil, a black sheep, a really bad egg!  
"Is it just me, or is this music really boring?" Celeste asked. Slow minuet music played in the background.  
"Oh, no. I think it's boring too. Everyone our age here does." Audra replied. "This corrupted young generation."  
"Hmm..." Celeste got an idea. The song ended and the band took a break. Celeste walked over to the conductor, Audra followed. "Hey, I'll give you ten shillings to speed up the next song a couple of tempos." The conductor watched her pull ten shillings out of her purse. "Deal?"  
"Deal." the conductor agreed. He took the money and pocketed it. "We start in five minutes."  
"Thank you so much, sir." Celeste thanked, and they walked away. "This'll be fun."  
"I hope no one gets mad..." Audra said thoughtfully.  
"Ah, who cares?" Celeste shook off as they made their way over to Jack who was now pilfering small items.  
"Jack! Put those back!" Celeste whispered to him.  
"Oh, come on, love. Me an' me crew've gotta eat." he reasoned.  
"Put back whatever you've taken!" she quietly commanded. He pulled three small things out of his pocket and put them on the table nonchalantly. "Is that all?"  
"Yes." Jack replied.  
"Jack..." she scolded as if she were talking to a child who'd taken too many cookies.  
"That's all!" he assured. She looked at him skeptically. She began to question him again, but the music began to play.  
"Oh, come on, let's dance!" Celeste grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him out onto the dance floor. People started to flock onto the dance floor as well. The music started off slow. They bowed to each other, as was custom, and got into dancing position. The music then started to speed up. Everyone but Celeste and Jack were confused and stepped back off the dance floor and just stood and watched.  
Celeste and Jack danced faster with the music. Both surprised that the other could keep up. They stepped left then right then left a few times and then spun around several times. They repeated that numerous times, and then they danced down the floor, spinning  
  
the whole way. He spun her and then returned to the original position. Audra watched them, amazed that they didn't get dizzy and fall over.  
"You're not a bad dancer, Jack." Celeste told him as they continued dancing.  
"I know." he replied. "It's all part o' me irresistible charm." he stated half jokingly. "You're not so bad yourself."  
"Oh, I know." they kept dancing quickly. I suppose the quick footing that is needed to swordfight helps with the quick footing that is needed to dance! The crowd just watched half amazed, half saying, 'shame on you.' They danced back up the floor, spinning still. He dipped her and the song ended.  
The next thing Jack and Celeste knew, they were being thrown out of the mansion.  
"Why did we get thrown out again?" Jack asked her.  
"Dancing too quickly." she replied in a mocking voice. "They think it's inappropriate. Come on! Live-in-the-now!" she yelled at the shut front door, stomping her foot. "Ugh!"  
Just then, Angelina emerged from the mansion, rushing out.  
"Hi." she greeted awkwardly.  
"Yeah, hi." Celeste greeted bitterly, frustrated.  
"I saw ya guys dancin'. Bloody brilliant! Too bad they didn't agree..." Angelina said.  
"Oh, yeah, you know who I saw?" Celeste asked Angelina. "Audra!"  
"Really?" Angelina asked. "I 'aven't seen 'er in a fortnigh'! Different sides o' society, ya know."  
Celeste told Angelina about how Audra was going to travel with them.  
"That sounds fun!" Angelina said.  
"Stupid party." Celeste sulked and stomped off. Angelina and Jack followed her back to the Pearl.  
  
That chapter was just fun for me to write! I know it strays from the story a little (except picking up a new character), but it was just too fun for me to leave out! Anyway, please review! Oh, yeah, by the way, this is the first fanfic I've ever really written! 


	6. Chapter 6: On to Another Destination

Chapter 6: On to Another Destination  
  
They spent the next few days doing whatever they wanted and preparing for the new journey. They'd given Angelina a room with a 'big ship' remark from her.  
"Oh, I'm so exited." Celeste exclaimed, coming up on deck. "I get my new outfit today! Took that darn tailor long enough." Yeah, considering they did it in half the time (for double the price). Jack was on deck and Angelina was still asleep.  
"I think I'll head out now. Come with me?" she asked Jack.  
"I 'aven' eaten yet." Jack responded. "'ave you?"  
"Yes, I grabbed something." she replied. "I suppose I'll just head on out then. Good day, Jack." He nodded to her and she left the ship.  
About an hour later, she came back clad in her new outfit. Roughly, it was very typical pirate garb. She had her hair down under her red tri- corner hat. She actually looked very pretty (for being clad in pirate garb).  
"Jack!" Celeste called. "Jack? Where are you? I'm back!" Jack walked out on deck from the door to the stairwell and walked towards her, preoccupied by a map he was studying.  
"'ello, darling." he greeted absently.  
"Well?" she asked. "What do you think about my new outfit? Do I look like a pirate?" he glanced up at her and then back to his map. He did a double take; he was speechless.  
"Er, yes." he stuttered. "Pirate. Yes. No, I mean, no, you can't be a pirate with clothes alone, but... er..."  
"Yay! I look like a pirate!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Is Angelina up yet?"  
"Er," he stuttered, "erm, who?" she looked at him inquisitively. "Er, Angelina. Yes, I-I'm sure she is."  
Celeste chuckled. "Okay, I'll go find her, then." she walked to the door to the dining room. Jack watched her until she disappeared through the doorway.  
"Morning, Angelina. My, how you do sleep forever." Celeste joked, taking a seat next to Angelina in the dining room. "Like my new outfit? Do I look like a pirate?"  
"Aye, it's grea'!" Angelina smiled. "Look jus' like a pirate, ya do!"  
"That's the look I'm going for." Celeste grabbed a banana from a bowl on the table. "Is it me, or is Jack acting rather strange?"  
"Strange?" Angelina asked. "Well, o' course 'e's actin' strange, 'e's Jack."  
"No, I mean more so than usual."  
"The very thought jus' makes me wanna crack up." Angelina told her.  
"No, I'm serious. He was acting all weird..." she trailed off. "Oh, forget it." she unpeeled the banana and took a bite. "Mm. Best fruit. Right here."  
  
* * *  
  
Jack watched Celeste disappear through the doorway. He stood, still staring. Just then, Audra walked up on deck carrying five bags of luggage.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Sparrow." Audra greeted. "Good day. A little help?" she struggled to hold all five bags. She staggered towards him. He stood, still staring at the doorway. "Mr. Sparrow? Mr. Sparrow?" she dropped tow of her large bags in attempt to juggle them all. At this noise, Jack came back to reality. He wheeled around and yelled:  
"Stop blowin' 'oles in my ship!" Audra stood in confusion.  
"Are you alright, Mr. Sparrow?" Audra asked, seriously concerned.  
"Yes, yes. Sorry. I was, erm, distracted." he dismissed. "In, er, deep thought..." he walked over and picked up two of her largest bags and turned around. "Er, your room is this way..." he led her downstairs to a room to the right of Celeste's.  
"Wow. This is a big ship!" Audra exclaimed.  
"Popular belief." Jack mumbled. "The dining room is up the stairs to the right. Please join us."  
"Thank you." Audra told him. Jack went back upstairs while Audra opened the door in front of her to a shabby, old, sparsely furnished room with one window overlooking the ocean. These ship cabins don't have much variety, do they? Audra started unpacking.  
  
* * *  
  
Jack walked into the dining room and shut the door.  
"Hello, Jack." Celeste greeted.  
"Good day, Cap'n Sparrow." Angelina greeted.  
"Captain Sparrow?" Celeste asked. "Call him Jack. That's his name. You're 'savvy' with that, aren't you?" she looked at Jack.  
"Erm, yes, sure." he replied absentmindedly.  
"So, are we leaving today, Jack?" Celeste asked.  
"Erm, I--I'll 'ave to see..." he still seemed a little nervous or something. He decided to sit down, to at least look relaxed; however, he missed the chair and fell to the floor with a thud. Celeste laughed while Angelina looked slightly concerned. He quickly got up.  
"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Jack excused, rather embarrassed. "I-I just thought I dropped something..." he trailed off and sat down in a chair. Celeste laughed quietly.  
"Are you alright?" Celeste faked concern.  
"Yes, I'm fine!" Jack brushed off. "By the way, your friend got here."  
"Audra?" Celeste asked. "Good."  
"Any port in the storm!" Mr. Cotton's Parrot squawked from outside the door. Just then, Audra walked in.  
"Er, who was that?" Audra asked in confusion. "The man with the bird..."  
"It's Mr. Cotton." Celeste explained, slightly impatiently, having explained Mr. Cotton to Angelina a few days before. "He's a mute. His bird talks for him. We have no idea how."  
"Oh..." Audra was utterly confused.  
  
"Oh, well." Celeste sighed. "You'll get to know them in time."  
"By the way, Mr. Sparrow, I apologize for the fright earlier." Audra said.  
"Fright?" Celeste asked.  
"Er, nothing, nothing!" Jack evaded. "All's well, love."  
"Captain!" Anamaria called. She burst into the room. "Captain, come quickly! There are some guards aboard! They suspect that we are pirates!"  
"Oh, bloody--" Jack started. "Stay here." he commanded Celeste, Angelina, and Audra. He left the room.  
"Not a chance." Celeste said defiantly and rushed out the door.  
"Well, what do we do?" Audra asked.  
"I don't know..." Angelina replied. "Want a banana?"  
  
Celeste hurried to where Jack was. He was standing in front of two guards; about ten other guards stood down on the docks. Just before Celeste caught up to Jack, Anamaria grabbed her arm and stopped her.  
"Let him handle this." Anamaria whispered harshly.  
"Listen," Celeste explained in a forced-calm whisper, "these guards know what they're doing. If they even suspect that we're pirates, then they'll prosecute us! Trust me! Piracy is certainly not welcome here! Now, set sail! Quickly and quietly, but do it now!"  
"I take orders from the Captain, lady." Anamaria angrily whispered.  
"Well, pardon me, but the Captain is busy." Celeste retorted in a whisper. "So you'll take orders from me instead." Anamaria opened her mouth to protest, but shut it again. She sighed.  
"Aye." she whispered, defeated. Celeste walked over to Jack and the guards.  
"...and we have reason to believe that you are pirates." the guard told Jack. "Therefore, we must detain you." Jack began to protest, but Celeste put her hand on his shoulder to stop him. She shot a 'hang on a second' look at him and began to speak to the guards, her hand still rested on Jack's shoulder so he wouldn't interrupt her.  
"Sir, I can fully assure you that we are not pirates." Celeste informed. "We are, in fact, searching for some pirates ourselves at the moment. The scum." The sails of the ship went up, the guards looked around.  
"Our apologies, miss, but we must detain the crew--" the ship started moving and the gangplank slipped off the ship and fell into the water.  
"Hey!" the other guard cried. "What's going on?!"  
"What is going on?" Jack asked, confused. The ship began to pick up a little speed.  
'Wow, this is a fast ship.' Celeste thought.  
"Halt!" the first guard commanded. The ship moved away from the dock. "Stop this ship!" the guards on the dock were panicking and yelling for the guards on the ship to give them orders.  
"Excuse me, sir, but we tried to tell you we're not pirates!" she charged forward and pushed the two guards off the ship; they fell into the water with a splash. They surfaced and scowled up at Celeste. "We're just really bad eggs!" she yelled to them and  
  
smiled innocently. She turned to Jack.  
"What's happening?" he asked. "Why are we leaving?"  
"I told Anamaria to set sail." she explained confidently. "I know these guards. They will not stand for even suspected pirates. Many innocent people have been killed because of their mad laws." Jack opened his mouth to speak, but Celeste cut him off. "And don't you yell at me, Jack Sparrow! I was right and you know it! I was just trying to help!"  
"And a wise decision it was, darling." he told her, smiling.  
"I said I was just trying to -- huh?"  
"When I couldn' conjure a good escape, you did." he told her. "You probably saved us all. I am grateful." he put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him in awe; she was sure he was going to yell at her. She cleared her throat and straightened up.  
"Well," Celeste started, a little more confidently. "That's more like it. Anytime, Jack, anytime!" she announced confidently. She strode over to the dining room. "If you need my council, I shall be in here." she entered the dining room and shut the door.  
After about twenty minutes, Anamaria burst into the room.  
"Another ship!" she cried. "Another ship is approaching!"  
"Another ship?" Celeste asked.  
"Yes! I believe they are from Port Royal!" Anamaria replied.  
"Port Royal?!" Celeste exclaimed. "They've got the best military in the Caribbean! They're up on everything!" she dashed to the door and left the room with Anamaria. Angelina and Audra just sat at the table.  
"Another banana?" Angelina asked.  
  
"Drop the anchor! We must talk to them!" Celeste ordered. Jack loudly cleared his throat at her. "Right. Captain. You give the orders."  
"Aye. 's more like it." he cleared his throat again. "Drop the anchor! We must talk to them!" Celeste chuckled. He quickly looked away from her.  
"Yell to them! Tell them to drop their anchor as well!" Celeste yelled, pointing to the other ship. Jack nodded.  
"GREETINGS!" Jack yelled at the top of his lungs, waving like mad to the ship. "WE SEEK A PEACEFUL WORD! PLEASE DROP ANCHOR!"  
"Arg!" Celeste cried.  
"That's 'arr.'" Jack corrected.  
"No, that's not what I mean." Celeste explained seriously. "They can't see me like this! They'll get suspicious! Hang on!" she ran off to her room.  
Five minutes later, she came back up on deck wearing a pretty pink dress.  
"Tha' was fast." Jack told her, surprised.  
"I'm a quick change artist." Celeste answered quickly. "Are we ready? I'd better talk to them."  
"Yes, sure." Jack agreed. The crew of both ships helped heave a plank on the rails of the ship so that she could cross.  
"Lift me up." Celeste said to Jack. He obeyed. He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up onto a box from which she stepped up onto the plank. The plank was fairly  
  
wide, so she had no trouble getting across.  
She hopped down onto the other ship and smoothed out her dress. She cleared her throat.  
"Greetings." Celeste greeted.  
"Greetings." the captain of the ship said to her. He was dressed in a military outfit. "Your ship looks quite familiar. What is its name?"  
'Uh, oh...' Celeste thought. 'Port Royal must be looking for Jack and the Pearl!'  
"Its name is... the, er," she stuttered, "the, er, Royal Midnight..."  
'How bad at coming up with names can I be?!' she thought, panicking, but showed no sign of hesitation.  
"She is brand new, sir." Celeste lied. "A real beaut', is she not?"  
"Looks a bit run down..." the captain added, looking at the patched up side of the Pearl.  
"Oh... yes, we-we had a run-in with some pirates." she lied coolly. "Evil pirates! Pure scum! Disgusting gits. We just happen to be out looking for Bartholomeu Santara. Have you any information on his whereabouts?"  
"Santara..." the captain recalled. "Yes... Santara... Actually, we heard from a passing ship that he was headed straight for Quill Isle. We are after pirates ourselves, actually, and couldn't bother with Santara. When we return to Port Royal, we shall see if Commodore Norrington wishes to go after him. He is currently after the Black Pearl and Jack Sparrow. We are one of the ships sent out after him." Celeste could almost hear Jack in her head saying 'Captain! Captain Jack Sparrow!'  
"Hm... have you seen this Jack Sparrow before?" Celeste asked.  
"Well, er, not exactly. We haven't. Other parts of the fleet have, but..." the captain trailed off.  
"So how is it that you expect to catch him?" Celeste asked.  
"Well... sort of by... word of mouth, actually." the captain explained. "Anything that looks suspicious we'll investigate."  
"Aha. I see." Celeste said, holding back a laugh. "Well, er, I believe we may have passed the Black Pearl on our way here."  
"Oh?"  
"Yes. It sailed off that way." she told him, pointing him away from the way the Pearl was actually headed, and making sure not to point to Rosalia.  
"Thank you, miss!" the fairly dense captain said. "We both have benefited from this meeting."  
"Aye. Thank you, sir. Good day. And good luck in your search for those pirates."  
"The same. Good day." the captain said. Celeste climbed back up onto the plank and crossed back to the Pearl.  
"Santara is headed for Quill Isle!" she told Jack triumphantly.  
"Good work, love." Jack congratulated. "Couldn' 'ave done it better myself."  
"Really?"  
"No, not really." Jack chuckled. He went up to the helm.  
"You're in denial, Jack!" Celeste called to him.  
  
After pulling the plank back onto the ship, they pulled the anchor back up and the ship began to move.  
"Set a course for Quill Isle!" Jack ordered. Celeste went up to him at the helm.  
"I've never been to Quill Isle before, Jack." she told him. "What's it like?"  
"A lot o' rich people." Jack explained. "Stuck up, snobbish, rude. Your kind of people, you'll like them" Celeste smacked Jack in the arm  
"What?" he asked innocently.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, they docked in Quill Isle. There was pandemonium everywhere! Jack, Celeste, Angelina, and Audra stepped out onto the docks and made their way to a sidewalk. Suddenly, a man came running towards them.  
"Sir!" the man yelled. "Sir and misses, you must get your ship out! Santara! Santara is here! Leave while you still have time!" the man ran off and boarded a large white ship.  
"So he is here!" Celeste asked excitedly. "Yes!" Angelina and Audra had found some old pirate-like clothes and were clad in them. Angelina had borrowed some from Audra, who had taken some from her brother's room before she left (she left him ten shillings and an I.O.U.). Audra also had a pair of long swords (of which she lent one to Angelina) and a pair of daggers. They knew a little about sword fighting, but they weren't as good as Jack or Celeste.  
Celeste began to charge into the city in search of Santara. Jack grabbed her arm to stop her.  
"These aren' just pirates, darling." he said. "This is Bartholomeu Santara. He's escaped every capture attempt that he's come up against."  
"Well, they've never run into me before, have they?" Celeste pried Jack's hand off her arm and began to charge into the city once more. Jack got a panicked look on his face as he spotted five large, mean-looking pirates coming their way; the one in the middle was none other than the Santara.  
"Let's jus' do this later after 'e's away from 'is minions." Jack tried to persuade her. "'e'll be a lot less trouble that way. Or we coul' get some 'elp from the crew--"  
"No. I want to kill him now." she stubbornly told him, still trudging toward Santara. Jack looked even more panicked. He ran to catch up to her. "Jack, I'm going to do this." she stated. He still looked panicked. Suddenly, he leapt in front of her.  
"Can't let you do this, love."  
"Jack, I-" Suddenly, Jack leaned over, picked her up, and swung her onto his shoulder. "Jack!" she cried. "What are you doing?! Put me down!" He turned around and hurried back towards the ship, hoping to get more crew members, to help take on Santara. "Put me down, Jack! Put me down!" Celeste yelled, squirming around violently. "Let go! Let go! I have to do this! I don't want to lose my chance!" she pounded on his back with her fists. "Jaaaaaaack!" she screamed.  
"'s no way ta treat a lady." sneered a harsh, deep voice behind them. Jack froze. "What say ye put 'er down, eh, mate?" The man took out his sword and pointed it at  
  
Jack, who looked back at him. He turned around and set Celeste down.  
"Thank you." she said resentfully to Jack. As she smoothed out her pant legs, Jack just stared at the man. He grabbed onto Celeste's shoulders, holding her back; she was so busy smoothing out her clothes that Jack had so rudely messed up. The man who stood before them had a curly, short, black beard and mustache, and shoulder-length, wavy black hair. He wore black pants that tucked into his tall black boots. He had on a loose, black, long-sleeved shirt whose cuffs stuck out of the end of the sleeves of his red jacket. On his head resided a big black hat with a red feather sticking out of it.  
Celeste looked up at Jack confusedly and then looked at what Jack was staring at.  
She gasped. "Santara!"  
"At yer service, miss." Santara said, bowing. "Do I know ye?" he asked.  
"Oh, I suppose not. I mean, you just sort of stole, burned, killed, and ran." Celeste told him bitterly. He smirked. "You also took something very important from me which you could never repay in a hundred of your worthless lives." She sounded calm, but she was filled with anger. Jack, his hands still on her shoulders, could feel her trembling with rage. She pulled out her swords. "And I'm going to rip your throat out." she still sounded fairly calm. Jack raised his eyebrows at her remark, it was rather strange hearing her say something so violent. She stepped forward, out of Jack's grasp. Santara glanced from Celeste to Jack.  
"Why, Jack Sparrow, what a surprise." Santara sneered. "It's been years." Jack shot him a disgusted look.  
"Oh, go--" Jack stopped himself as he glanced at Celeste; he knew better than to use such language in front of a lady. "Oh, shut up."  
"Always were famous fer yer painstakin' insults." Santara chuckled. His cronies laughed as well.  
"Well, if you're so keen on conversation, maybe you should go back to your ship and knit and chat with your bloody cowardly crew." Celeste taunted. Jack looked shocked that she would say something like that to a vicious murderer. He would use tact so as not to rile him too much.  
"I used me manners before," Santara scowled at her, "but I see that yer no lady ta waste 'em on."  
"Well then, why don't you fight me. Without your friends here. If you're not frightened, of course." she egged.  
"Alright then. Boys," he addressed his crew, "kill 'er friends. Sorry 'bout this, Jack. Ol' buds an' all." Jack snickered. With that, Santara's four cronies charged at Jack, Angelina, and Audra. Jack confronted two of them; he took out his sword. He impatiently slayed one of them and glanced around for the other. The other was sneaking up behind Celeste, ready to attack her.  
"'ey!" Jack yelled at him. The pirate turned around. "That's not very nice." He punched the pirate in the face, knocked him over, and quickly impaled him in the stomach.  
Angelina saw the pirates stalking towards her and Audra.  
"Okay, I'll take on, you take the other." Audra suggested, readying her sword.  
"O-Okay..." Angelina hesitated. Audra strafed to her right, away from Angelina.  
  
Angelina held her sword out at the approaching pirate. As he neared, she panicked. She closed her eyes and waved the sword wildly in front of her.  
"Ahhhhh!" she screamed, waving the sword around and completely missing the pirate. He stood and laughed at her.  
Audra knew a bit about fencing, so she began fighting.  
"Okay, then, Mr. Pirate, no more organized fighting!" Audra stated. "You asked for it!" she swung her sword high and slashed at the pirate's shoulder; he blocked it.  
"Ye'll 'ave ter do better 'n' 'at!" he sneered.  
"Okay." and she kicked the pirate where it counts! He fell over and writhed in pain. He scrambled to get away, having dropped his weapon. He got up and ran away! That coward!  
Jack snuck up behind the pirate that was laughing at Angelina -- and about to strike at her -- and impaled him from behind.  
While Jack, Angelina, and Audra fought their own battles, Celeste and Santara fenced back and forth along the docks.  
'If I'm going to beat this guy, I have to be better than Jack...' Celeste thought. "Not just equal... What would Jack do in my place...?'  
"Arr!" Santara growled as he swung a vicious swipe with his sword at her, she used both her swords to block it. Celeste thought about what Jack would do.  
"Cheat!" Celeste cried out loud.  
"Wha--" Santara started, but she cut him off by using her old routine. She swung at his shoulder with one sword (being quicker than using two) and kicked at his ankles, sending him falling to the wooden planks of the dock. He fell on his back.  
She thought she had it made as she raised her swords to his face, but Santara was too quick. He swiped at her leg and, being a little disoriented and off target from the fall, nearly missed her. Nearly. He cut a large horizontal gash, fairly deep, into her calf. She yelled and dropped her weapons. Jack was busy with the other pirates and couldn't come to help.  
Santara took the opportune moment. While Celeste clutched at her leg, he quickly got up and kicked her in the hip and she flew off the dock.  
"Ahhhhhhhhh!!!" she screamed as she flew, and then fell in the water with a splash.  
"Ah! Not good!" Jack exclaimed as Santara ran off at top speed. Jack had just killed the pirate that Angelina had been up against and he started to run for Santara, but decided to jump in the water after Celeste (after all, her leg had just been gashed open, she couldn't swim in that condition).  
"'old these!" Jack commanded Angelina and Audra as he removed his jacket, belt, gun, sword, and hat and handed them to them. "Be careful with them!"  
"Goodness sakes! An' they say women 'ave a lot o' stuff!" Angelina exclaimed with sarcasm. Jack jumped into the water. He swam over to Celeste, grabbed her around the waist with one arm and kept them afloat with the other. She was far too exhausted to help propel them with her arms and in far too much pain to use even her good leg.  
"Go get a rope! Get a pllrrg!" Jack yelled at Angelina and Audra as his face sunk into the water. They obeyed and ran back onto the Pearl. The dock was a large ship  
  
dock, after all, meaning that it was at least ten feet above the surface of the water.  
Jack's face emerged from the water; he tried to keep himself from drowning at the same time as keeping Celeste from drowning. She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging for dear life. Jack was kicking his legs violently and flapping his arm in the water, splashing.  
"Glug--" Celeste choked, swallowing some water. "Thnx, Jack... I'm -- kleff -- srry..." (translation: Thanks, Jack... I'm sorry...).  
"Don't mnshn ip, arbling." Jack struggled to say, swallowing water (translation: Don't mention it, darling). Jack glanced around at the water. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he went pale. "Oh--" his face sunk in the water, luckily cutting him off from cursing. The reason he went pale was headed straight for them. Two gray fins stuck out of the water and were gliding towards them. Sharks. The blood that was seeping from Celeste's wound was attracting them. Jack's heart jumped into his throat. He made sure that Celeste wasn't looking in the direction of the fins; he didn't want to make matters worse for her.  
Just then, Angelina, Audra, Gibbs, and Mr.Cotton ran out carrying a rope.  
"Grab hold 'a' this!" Gibbs called to them and tossed one end of the rope into the water. Jack grabbed it and twisted it around his hand a few times.  
"'old on tight, love, I 'ave to use both 'ands to pull us up!" Jack rushed. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tightly and he let go of her. She began to slip, so she used the help of her legs to cling onto him too. "BLOODY HURRY AN' PULL US UP!!" Jack yelled at Gibbs and Mr. Cotton as they hoisted them up out of the water. The sharks neared. "HURRY! HURRY! HURRY!" he yelled urgently. Gibbs and Mr. Cotton pulled Jack and Celeste onto the dock just as a shark jumped out of the water and chomped at them, barely missing Jack's foot.  
Celeste rolled onto her back and let herself lie limp on the dock. Jack lied on his back as well; they were both sputtering water out of their mouths.  
"Ahh!" Celeste moaned, her leg in more pain than she'd ever felt in her entire life. Jack coughed up some water as he struggled to stand up. He leaned over and quickly scooped up Celeste.  
"Thanks so much, all." Jack thanked Gibbs, Mr. Cotton, Angelina, and Audra sincerely. He dashed onto the ship carrying Celeste.  
"Ah..." Celeste groaned in pain. "Th-thanks, Jack."  
"As I said, don't mention it, darling." he replied. He dashed down the stair into Celeste's room and set her down on her bed.  
"Have you some kind of cloth? A-a shirt or something?" he asked quickly, knowing he didn't have time to go and get a bandage.  
"I-in the bottom drawer." she told him in pain. Jack quickly moved to the dresser, pulled out a large white shirt and ripped it in half. He sat down next to Celeste.  
"Here." he took her leg and put it in his lap so he could bandage it. "Really did some damage." Jack said, carefully removing her boot which Santara ha cut right through and dropped it on the floor. He pushed up her blood-soaked pant leg and began to clean off her wound with one half of the shirt.  
"Mnn.." she grunted in pain.  
  
"Stings?" Jack asked, still cleaning the wound.  
"Well, yeah!" Celeste replied bitterly.  
"I'm sorry."  
"Oh, I'm not a child, Jack, don't baby me."  
"Alrigh' then, you were careless." Jack stated as he began to wrap up the wound. "This is what 'appens when you don' pay perfect attention. You were lucky to come out with only this. A real pirate--"  
"Well, I don't want you to be mean either!" Celeste protested. "Besides, I know what I'm doing! In fact, that was my plan! I meant for that... to..." he gave her an inquisitive look. "Okay, fine, but I'm just a beginner at all this! And I did well for being a beginner, didn't I?" she pouted.  
"That's not the point!" Jack scolded as he tied a tight knot in the shirt.  
"OW!"  
He set her leg down. "What if somethin' worse 'ad 'appened to you?!"  
"Well, that was my risk!" Celeste retorted. "I really wanted to kill him--"  
"What would I do if you got killed?!" he scolded. Celeste looked up at him in frustration.  
"Well, it's not your responsibility to protect me or anything!"  
"Yes, it is!" Jack yelled. "If I 'adn't 'elped you, Gibbs, Cotton, and them too, when we did, you'd 'ave been eaten by those sharks!"  
"There were sharks?" Celeste asked, color draining out of her face.  
"Yes, there were!" Jack cried. He grabbed her shoulders. "I can't let anythin' 'appen to you!" he pulled her close to him in a hug. He suddenly realized what he'd just done and quickly released her. She looked up at him and then realized another awkward moment. Their faces were only about an inch apart. She looked into his dark brown eyes unsure of her feelings and he looked into her blue-green ones unsure of his. It was a sure bet that they were going to kiss (hey, I would've put money on it), when...  
"Why is it that you care, Jack?" she asked.  
"I-I don't know... You're... just... a girl an' so I feel like I should--"  
"I'm not a weakling." she stated angrily, neither one of them moved from where they were. "Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean that I can't survive without someone else's help. This was my first time in an actual fight. Next time," she said through gritted teeth, "Santara won't be so lucky. Don't underestimate what I can do, Jack."  
"I didn' say that you couldn' protect yourself, I just don't want you to get killed." Jack said.  
"Neither do I." Celeste stated. Jack began to say something, but she cut him off. "You have a ship to captain, do you not?" Jack looked at her for a moment and then:  
"Er, yes. Yes I do..." he said. Celeste moved away from him. He got up and headed for the door. She suddenly felt guilt rushing into her.  
"Jack." she said. He turned around. "Thanks. Really. And I'm sorry I--"  
"Anytime." he nodded to her and left, shutting the door. She stressfully ran her fingers through her hair and lied back down on her bed, painfully staring at the ceiling. Stressful tears formed in her eyes and she shut them tightly.  
  
Wow. That was a really long chapter! Anyway, I had like three other versions of this chapter before I finally settled on this one! The others were too "perfect world," so I decided on this version! I hope you think I chose wisely and liked the chapter! Anyway, please review! Hannon le! 


	7. Chapter 7: Complication and Information

Okay, well, there may have been (okay, definitely were) typos in the other chapters... and may be some in the rest of the story! I just noticed... but anyway, it's a common mistake! I'm naught but a humble pirate! Anyway, enjoy!  
  
Chapter 7: Complication and Information  
  
Arr!" Audra burst into Celeste's room about ten minutes later. She was wearing a black eye patch. "Eat up, me hearties, yo ho!"  
"That's drink up me hearties, yo ho." Celeste corrected monotonously. She was reclining on her bed with her arms folded behind her head.  
"Yeah, that!" Audra added excitedly. "Wow! I'm going to be a real pirate! Shudder me buckles!"  
"That's shiver me timbers."  
"Yeah! I'm so happy! This sounds so fun!" Audra exclaimed.  
"Yeah, me too..."  
"What's wrong?" Audra asked. Celeste started to tell her what happened, but then realized: what's the use?  
"Nothing's wrong." Celeste lied.  
"You don't act like nothing's wrong." Audra pressed, sitting at the foot of Celeste's bed.  
"I just go my leg sliced open, am I supposed to be joyous?" Celeste replied bitterly.  
"I-I'm sorry, I just... I know you better than that, and I -- well -- never mind..." Audra knew Celeste was not the type to sulk over physical pain.  
"Take that ridiculous eye patch off. That's such a pirate stereotype." Celeste said, smiling. Audra obeyed, though; she didn't want to offend any of the crew. "I'm hungry." Celeste stated.  
"Oh, okay, I'll get Jack to come and--"  
"No." Celeste interrupted. "I can get there myself." she heaved herself up onto one foot. She gently set down her wounded leg in an attempt to limp, but... "OW!" she cried.  
"You'll kill yourself!" Audra scolded. "I'll go get Jack and--"  
"No. I don't need Jack's help." she firmly stated. "What do you think I am?" Celeste asked defensively. "I am a pirate." she tried to limp again. "Yo h-OW!" Audra looked at her as if to say, 'see, you need help.'  
"I'll hop." Celeste insisted and she started off out into the hall and up the stair. The stairs were going to be a challenge. She attempted to climb them, but... not a chance. She decided to try and crawl up them instead. Suddenly, Audra dashed past her.  
"Stop!" Celeste yelled. "Don't you dare! You will not get Jack! Stop! Come back here!" Celeste struggled to hurry and inch up the stairs. She would sit on one step and hoist herself up to the next with her good leg. At this speed, she should reach the dining room in about... oh, say... twenty-five years. She heard the door at the top of the stairs open and someone descending them.  
"Need 'elp, love?" Jack asked, walking to where she was on the stairs.  
"No. No, I got it." she replied.  
  
"'eaded for the dining room?" he asked, watching her inch up the stairs.  
"Yes." she kept inching; one step at a time.  
"You'll starve before you get there." Jack chuckled. And, regardless of what she had said, he picked her up and carried her into the dining room and set her in a chair.  
"Well, er, thanks." Celeste told him, a bit embarrassed. Audra and Angelina were sitting and eating already.  
"Don' want you to starve on me, savvy?" Jack said, smiling. He sat down.  
"I suppose not." Celeste replied, picking up a fork, jabbing a piece of roast, and setting it on her plate. She cut it and put a piece in her mouth.  
"So, are ya okay?" Angelina asked.  
"Yf, mm fn." Celeste replied, her mouth full. She swallowed abruptly, knowing how ill-mannered it was to speak with her mouth full. "Er, excuse me, my mind was elsewhere... Yes, I'm okay. I'm not dead."  
"Excuse me for a moment." Jack told them. "I must check on something. "He got up and left the dining room.  
"Audra, you fink!" Celeste badgered. "I told you not to--"  
"But you would've starved!" Audra reasoned.  
"Ugh!" Celeste scoffed. "That's not the point..."  
A moment later, Jack walked back into the room.  
"So," Jack began, "we'll be stayin' 'ere a while, I wager, aye?"  
"Yes, I suppose." Celeste sighed. "But I won't be hurt forever! Just give me some time to heal up."  
"My time is yours." Jack stated, smiling. She smiled back awkwardly and went back to her meal, wondering why he wasn't angry with her after the way she'd spoken to him.  
  
* * *  
  
After they finished eating, Jack helped -- okay, carried -- Celeste out to the end of the ship to get some fresh air.  
"You'll be alrigh' standin'?" Jack asked her.  
The sky was a dreary gray and clouds covered the sky. Celeste breathed in the cool, crisp air. Rain drops started to fall gracefully and made small dents in the Caribbean Sea.  
"Maybe I should get you inside..." Jack suggested.  
"Wait." Celeste stopped him. "I love the rain. Just a moment longer? Please?" she looked up at him with big pleading eyes.  
"Alrigh', love." he said with a smile. "Whatever you want." Celeste returned her gaze to the rippling ocean. She shivered.  
"It's a little chilly." she said, rubbing her arms.  
"'ere." Jack took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders.  
"Oh, thanks." she told him, still a little uneasy.  
'So... is this how I feel...?' Celeste thought. 'I suppose... I don't know... I guess I'll just go with it... wing it... I'll know when it comes out of my mouth.'  
  
* * *  
  
After a few minutes, Jack carried Celeste back to her room, they stood in the doorway.  
"Oh, here..." Celeste started to take off the jacket he'd lent her and hand it to him.  
"'old onto it for a while, darling." Jack said. "You need it more than I, savvy?"  
"Savvy." she replied, smiling. "I'm sorry about yesterday, I just--"  
"It's alrigh'. I understand." he said sincerely.  
"Thank you." she said. He nodded and began to turn from her. "Jack." she grabbed his hand to stop him; he turned to her. "Thank you again for saving my life... Could've turned out much worse... I just... sometimes I have a problem admitting that I do need help once in a while."  
  
"Anytime at all, darling. Glad to 'elp."  
"Good night, Jack." she released his hand.  
"Night, love." he left the room. Celeste watched him for a moment, then closed the door and went to bed  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, Celeste rested. When the sun began to set, she continued resting in her room. A beam of light leaked in from the setting sun and fell at the foot of her bed. Jack came into her room to check on her.  
"Alrigh', darling?" he asked.  
"Yes, thank you." she replied. After a short pause, Celeste spoke again. "Jack, I'm bored." she sighed. "There's nothing to do when you can't walk. Don't you have an old crutch around here or something so I can at least get to the dining room without you having to carry me there?"  
"'fraid not, love. Sorry." Jack told her.  
"Alright..." she sighed. "Anyway, we really need to find out where Santara is going."  
"Actually," Jack started, "I just found out that they been keepin' one o' Santara's crew down in the jail. 'bout to 'ang 'im, I'd wager."  
"What good does that do us?" Celeste asked. "There's no way he'll tell us where Santara is going."  
"Well, I think 'e used to be one o' me friends." Jack contemplated. "So if I coul' convince 'im that I want to join Santara's crew, 'e migh' tell me where Santara's goin'."  
"You used to be friends with that scum?!" Celeste asked, shocked.  
"Er, well, you know... pirate."  
Celeste sighed. "I would expect that from you..."  
"I'll go down to the jail tonight after the guards fall asleep." Jack said, ignoring her remark.  
"What if they don't fall asleep?" Celeste asked.  
"They will. An' if they don't, I'll sneak in. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, 'member?"  
"Aye, how could I forget?" Celeste said, annoyed at his carelessness.  
  
* * *  
  
That night, Jack snuck into the Quill Jail and met with the member of Santara's crew. He bribed him with fifty shillings to tell him where Santara was going. He told him that Santara was going to an old hideout that they used to use. An island called Isla de Sangre.  
Celeste slept soundlessly in her old, yet somewhat comfortable bed in the corner of her room on the Pearl.  
"Celeste!" a voice whispered softly in her ear. She stirred, but didn't wake up. "Celeste!"  
"Nnn... What is it, father?" Celeste asked, half asleep.  
"No, Celeste, it's Jack." Jack whispered.  
"Yeah, sure, I'll tell Annie to milk the cows later..." Celeste mumbled  
"Celeste, wake up!" Jack whispered, not wanting to startle her.  
"And feet the chickens, I know, I know..." Celeste mumbled. "I'm not a child, Marie, don't treat me like one... Go away..."  
"Celeste! Wake up! It's Jack!" he whispered and lightly nudged her.  
  
"Mm... pineapple..."  
"Celeste!" he nudged her again.  
"Yes, that's nice, Wilbur..." Celeste mumbled and patted Jack's cheek.  
"Celeste! Wake up! It's Jack!" he nudged her once more.  
"Wh-wha...?" she mumbled, barely opened her eyes, and turned her head towards the voice. She saw Jack's face only an inch away from hers. "AAAAHHHHHH!!!" she screamed and flew back up against the wall, still in bed.  
"Calm down, it's just me." Jack said quietly.  
"Wh-why are you in my room?" she asked and suddenly noticed that she was in her nightclothes which consisted of a blue, low-cut, lacy gown. She snatched up the sheet and covered herself up to her chin. "How improper! Get out! Get out!"  
"Wait--"  
"You disgusting pirate! Get out of here! Entering a lady's room without permission! How obscene!"  
"No, no, no, no, no! Look, I just wanted to tell you that I found out where Santara is goin'." Jack told her calmly, holding his hands up as if to say, 'I'm not going to hurt you!'  
"O-oh?" she asked shakily.  
"Aye, love." he replied. "'e's 'eaded for Isla de Sangre."  
"Really?!?" Celeste exclaimed excitedly. "Great! We'll go there, then! Wait... What's Isla de Sangre?"  
Jack smiled. "It's a small, fairly 'idden, ol', deserted island not too far from 'ere." he explained. "Fifty miles, maybe, 's far 's I can tell. Folks don't go near it because it was believed to be 'aunted. We used to 'ide out there."  
"You used to hide out there? What do you mean?" Celeste asked.  
"Before I became a full-fledged pirate, I ran 'round with Santara an' 'is crew..." Jack reluctantly told her. He was sitting on his knees by her bed.  
  
"With Santara?!" Celeste exclaimed. "Oh, how could you?! They're evil, heartless men! How-how--"  
"Pirate." Jack stated simply. "'e was a pirate an' I was lookin' to become one too. But... I don't run with 'em anymore, so everything's savvy."  
Celeste sighed. "Pirates." she snorted. She was still clinging to her sheet for dear life.  
"Okay, great!" Jack added with resolution, ignoring her disgust.  
"By the way, how did you get that information?" Celeste asked curiously.  
"I gave the pirate fifty shillin's for telln' me." he told her.  
"Oh. Well, I can pay you back for that if--"  
"No." Jack interrupted. "It's alright. You're worth more 'n' 'at an' I ain't out to take your money." He stood up and headed to the doorway. "So, I'll inform the crew tomorrow of where we're goin'. If they're not already all awake thanks to your screamin'." he joked.  
"Thanks, Jack."  
"Anytime, love. We' square." with that, he turned, left the room, and shut the door behind him.  
'Wow.' Celeste thought as she lied comfortably back down into bed. 'I guess he came to his senses about what is right -- as much as a pirate can -- since those things he said back at the pub...' she gazed out the window at the dark blue sky. 'Maybe he's not such a bad guy...'  
Just then, Jack came back into her room; she quickly snatched up the sheet again.  
"By the way," he started with a smirk, "blue's me favorite color." He smirked again and left the room.  
"Ugh!" Celeste huffed, insulted.  
'Or maybe he is!' she thought, pouting. 'Pirates. Disgusting gits.'  
  
Haha! That last part never ceases to make me laugh! Behold the power of pirates! Hope you liked that chapter! By the way, as I said, I've already finished this fic! I just need to post it! I've already started on a sequel (which my friends seem to like better than this one)! I don't have a title yet, and I'm far from done, but who knows what Christmas vacation will bring! I don't want to go back to school! Junior year is a nightmare! Help! Don't make me go! No! No! Ah, well, what can you do? If you want to be a writer, you've got to get an education! Bah! Oops! I've rambled long enough! Farewell! And please review! 


	8. Chapter 8: Onward to Isla de Sangre!

Hello! More fic-age! Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!  
  
Chapter 8: Onward to Isla de Sangre!  
  
The next evening, the sun was setting and Celeste and Jack stood out at the end of the ship talking. The whole day had been devoted to getting ready to leave for Isla de Sangre. Celeste's leg was feeling better and healing pretty fast. She felt guilty because even though her leg was getting better, she still couldn't really help with anything.  
Sunbeams fell from the red, orange, and yellow sky and bounced off the water in all directions, making the Caribbean sparkle with a silver glimmer. Celeste and Jack told each other about their lives (for lack of anything better to do). Celeste told him many of her past experiences and much of what had happened in her life, and Jack told her a little about his, he didn't typically tell many people about his past, so this was considered quite a bit. She told him about how her mother had left the family (and the country) for petty reasons. She also told him about her evil stepmother who was always so mean and rude to her for no reason and had been trying for years to get Celeste out of the house and replace her in her father's will.  
"...so I'm lucky to be where I am now." she told him. "A pirate's life for me." she slapped the railing of the ship. "Better here than with that evil woman." She paused. "So, what about your parents, Jack?" she asked curiously.  
"Dead. Both of them. But I'd rather not talk about that far into me past." he said.  
"Oh, I-I'm sorry..." Celeste hesitated, thinking she'd said something wrong. She began fidgeting and got a very guilty look on her face. Jack looked at her.  
"Oh, it's quite alright, darling, it's not your fault!" he said and patted her back in an attempt to comfort her a little. The sun brightly and beautifully shone, illuminating their eyes.  
"So... off to Isla de Sangre tomorrow, eh?" Celeste asked, gazing out at the mesmerizing horizon.  
"Aye." Jack replied.  
"Yes, well," Celeste started, turning around to walk away, "drink up, me hearties, yo--"  
THUD. She'd forgotten about her leg. She fell flat on her face.  
"Ouch! Ouch!"  
Jack laughed and helped her up. "Don't be 'asty, darling." Jack added, still laughing.  
"Well, I'll be okay soon, so I can kill Santara when I need to." she asurred, leaning on the ship's railing again. "He is so going to die." she stated, her voice shaking with anger. Jack looked at her and noticed the anger in her eyes and that she'd actually started shaking from it.  
"Wow." Jack said. "What did that man do?"  
"Besides stealing from me?" Celeste asked angrily. "Well, do you remember just before he and I started fighting, how I said that he'd taken something from me of which  
  
he could never repay?" Jack nodded. "Well... he killed my friend. One of my best friends ever." Jack's expression faltered, being a little shocked at this, sympathy for her growing in him. She stared out at the ocean. "Her name was Gabrielle. She was just trying to protect her little sister... Santara and his minions had raided the town. Gabrielle didn't want her sister to get raped by those disgusting men. Because of that... he killed her... I saw him... My father had dragged me onto a ship, so I couldn't get to her. I saw her run outside of her house, which had been set on fire, and I wanted to yell to her, but I was crying too much... Even if I had yelled... she wouldn't have heard me... She had nothing to defend herself with, but she tried to attack Santara anyway... He'd taken her sister... He attempted to take her along too, no doubt to do disgusting things to her, but she wouldn't have it. She struggled, scratching and clawing... giving her sister just enough time to get away. Her sister must've been scared out of her mind... She ran... forward... where ever that may have been... and another pirate attempted to grab her... She ran... lost her footing... and fell off the docks... There was no way she could've gotten back up... I was going to jump in to save her, but my stupid father held me back... So... she drowned...  
  
"Well, Santara wasn't about to be cheated of a good time, so he struggled even more to keep Gavrielle. I suppose he figured that she was too much trouble... and so... he pulled out his pistol... and shot her... right in the heart." Celeste paused. She looked up at Jack. "I had to see that... Watch one of my best friends die right in front of me and I could do nothing!" She moved her eyes from Jack and began to cry.  
He attempted to turn Celeste's face towards him, but she snapped her head in the opposite direction to avoid eye contact. She was struggling to stop crying, but didn't really succeed.  
Cryin's good for the soul, love." Don't be ashamed." he told her. Memories of Gabrielle's horrible death flooded back into Celeste's mind and she broke down, unable to bear the weight of the pain any longer. She began loudly sobbing. Jack opened his arms to her and she leaned up against his chest, sobbing. He looked down at her with both care and sympathy in his eyes.  
"It's not fair, Jack!" she sobbed. "It's just not fair!"  
"I know, love." he replied softly. "Life itself is not fair. But it's 'ow we deal with the obstacles we com up against that judges 'ow strong a person we are. Like your friend. She fought for what she believed, what she wanted, up until the end; an' it showed that she was a good, strong person. An' you 'ave to think: if life was fair, it might even be boring. It would be too easy to reach goals an' get what you want. These obstacles that we must face test us an' decide where our life is goin'. Try lookin' at it like that." She looked up at him. She had no idea he could even comprehend something so wise, being a pirate and all, much less actually say it. He reached up and gently wiped a tear from her face with his thumb.  
"I mean," he started, "if you want to take advice from a pirate."  
"A pirate and a very good man." she said. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, and then leaned in closer. When there got to be only that pesky inch between their faces, suddenly:  
"Celeste!" Audra called. "Celeste!" Celeste stared into Jack's gorgeous dark brown eyes for a moment and then turned to see where Audra was. Audra burst through the stairwell door and scanned the deck for Celeste. Upon noticing that Audra had spotted her, she quickly pulled away from Jack and frantically dried her face and eyes with her sleeve. She cleared her throat and sniffled a little.  
"Yes, Audra, what is it?" Celeste asked wearily and quieter than her usual cheery tone.  
"Oh, you must come!" Audra exclaimed happily. "I must tell you something!" Audra helped Celeste limp off towards the stairs. Celeste looked back at Jack, who was watching her, and then she painfully turned away. Jack mumbled something about missing 'the opportune moment.'  
  
Audra led Celeste down into a large dining hall where nearly all of the crew was. Some were chatting, some were eating, and some were just leaving the galley with plates full of food. At one end of a long table, sat Mr. Cotton, Anamaria, and Angelina. Audra pulled Celeste over and sat her down on the end of the bench at the end of the long table, and sat down beside her.  
"Celeste, Mr. Cotton has shown me the light!" Audra exclaimed. "He has given me a life's philosophy that I shall forever hold dear! Tell her, Mr. Cotton."  
"Shiver me timbers, me bucko. Dead men tell no tales. Any port in the storm. Drink up, me hearties." Mr. Cotton's Parrot squawked. Audra stared wide-eyed at Mr. Cotton while Celeste listened intently and Angelina was thoroughly confused.  
"I don' get it." Angelina stated in confusion. "'ow c'n ya understand 'im?" Audra looked disgusted at what Angelina had just said.  
"How can you say that?! Aren't you listening?!" Audra asked angrily.  
"I am... but 'e's jus' squawkin'..." Angelina said. Audra gasped.  
"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?!" Audra yelled. "Isn't that your new philosophy, Celeste?" she asked, a rather snooty tone to her voice.  
Celeste smiled. "Well, that was very wise, Mr. Cotton," Celeste said sincerely, "and thank you... but I already have my own philosophy."  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning, they all assembled on deck.  
"Okay, onward to Isla de Sangre!" Jack yelled to all the crew. "Now... to work! All of you!"  
"We'd like to help, Jack!" Audra told him cheerfully as the crew began to work.  
"We would?" Angelina asked, panicking a little.  
"Yes, we would." Audra confirmed.  
"Ah, wonderful!" Jack said. "You can both tighten the sails! No one else wants to do it... Off with you!" Angelina sulked behind a cheerful Audra as they made their way to the sails Celeste stood, leaning up against the mast, dressed in a pretty, pink, fairly low-cut dress. Her leg was feeling much better, but she still had to take it easy.  
"Can I help, Jack?" she asked guiltily, knowing that she couldn't really do anything in her current state.  
"Well, er..." Jack thought for a moment and then, "You can... you can 'elp me."  
  
"Oh?" she squeaked excitedly. He smiled. He knew that helping in some way would make her happy. "What am I to do?"  
"Come. I shall show you." Jack replied. He helped her up the stairs and to her helm, his usual spot. "Just a moment." he said to her. "Pull up the anchor!" he commanded the crew. She heard the anchor being pulled up. "Sails!" and the sails opened grandly and they began to slowly move. "Okay then," he started in his usual tone, "you can 'elp me 'ere at the 'elm."  
"The helm?!" Celeste exclaimed and could hardly believe it. "The helm sounds so important! Can I really?!"  
"O' course!" Jack replied. "It gets lonely steerin' the ship up 'ere all by me onesies."  
"Wow! Ooh! What do I do?" she asked, straightening up and eyeing the helm she stood in front of.  
"Well, first, you should grasp the wheel." he said instructively. He stepped behind her, grabbed her wrists, and placed her hands on the wheel.  
"Wow! The helm! I feel important!" she said happily; Jack smiled at her amusement.  
"Okay, so about twenty five degrees west." he instructed.  
"Er..." Celeste hesitated. Jack smiled. He put his hands on top of hers and turned the wheel a little to the left.  
"See? Easy." Jack stated simply.  
"Wow!" Celeste exclaimed happily. Jack smiled again at her amusement.  
"With luck, the weather will be good to us an' we can make a straight trip." Jack told her, still helping her adjust the wheel a little. "Alrigh', love, just keep it like this 'till I tell you different."  
"Aye, aye, Captain!" she replied cheerfully. He walked over to the stairs, stopped and looked back at her.  
"By the way, maybe to keep the weather bein' good to us, you can use some of your lovely charm on the skies, savvy?" Jack told her. "It's said that the ocean and the skies listen to beautiful girls." He turned away and sauntered down the stairs and to the deck, going about his captaining. Celeste blushed. No one (except her family years ago, who were rather obligated) had called her beautiful before.  
The ocean was a glowing, gorgeous, bright blue with hardly any large waves. The sun shone cheerfully down on the Black Pearl and warmed the heads and hats of the crew. The weather was very nice that day and the skies were clear. Jack was down on the main deck, monitoring the crew's duties and helping a little himself.  
After about ten minutes of Celeste feeling important, Jack returned to her and the helm.  
"Doin' a great job, love." Jack encouraged. He still felt fairly sorry for her after hearing that story about Gabrielle, so he tried to be a little nicer. "I'd better watch out or you'll be stealin' me job as Captain." he half smiled.  
"Jack..." she sighed. "If you're feeling sorry for me because of what I told you yesterday... don't. It doesn't solve anything."  
"What? I was--"  
  
"It's alright. It's sweet of you to try and cheer me up." Celeste told him with a smile. "It's okay, don't worry about me. I'm fine." There was a short moment of silence.  
"A little to the left." Jack said to her, nodding at the helm. He stepped behind her like before, put his arms around her, and put his hands on hers. He then directed the wheel to the left a little. "We'll both steer for a while, savvy?"  
"Mhm." Celeste agreed, staring out at the mesmerizing Caribbean.  
  
"Ohh!" Audra exclaimed, looking up at Celeste and Jack from across the ship. "That's too cute!"  
"Huh? Oh, yes, them, sure." Angelina replied, not really paying attention, pulling on ropes.  
"Aww!"  
"Yep."  
"They're actually really cute together, you know. Except, it's not official yet. Jack hasn't asked her if her if he can court her yet, so... I suppose we'll just see."  
  
"Where did you learn how to do this, Jack?" Celeste asked him, referring to the steering of the ship.  
"Me gran'father taught me." Jack explained, gazing out at the sea. "An' after 'e died, me dad took over teachin' me."  
"Were they pirates?" Celeste asked.  
"No..." Jack said almost regretfully. "They were good men."  
"But, you can be a pirate and--"  
"I know." Jack interrupted. "Believe me, of all people, I know. But they were 'ard workin', 'onest men. Got 'em nowhere, though. We were lucky if we got dinner on the table each night."  
"So you decided to become a pirate," Celeste concluded, "because you didn't want that to happen to you?"  
"Aye." Jack replied thoughtfully.  
"Well, I just want revenge." Celeste stated. "And that bounty. And maybe some treasure. And adventure. And--"  
"My, darling, you do want a lot."  
"Yes. And I'll get it all, too." she stated.  
"Confidence is good." Jack said.  
"I know." Celeste replied. She glanced up at Jack, whose head was hovering over her shoulder. She could tell that he was not looking at the ocean (that pig). Celeste got an annoyed look on her face. She quickly jerked her shoulder up and hit Jack in the chin, knocking his head upwards. "Keep it there." she ordered. "And your eyes on the sea." He half smiled at this, showing a few gold teeth. "Pirates..." she mumbled.  
  
Ha ha! That last part never ceases to make me laugh! Hahaha! Hope you enjoyed it! Now, onward to CHAPTER NINE!!!!! WA! 


	9. Chapter 9: The Island of Blood

Wow! We're nearing the end! We're nearing the end! Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 9: The Island of Blood  
  
Over the next few days, Celeste's leg healed up enough to not really bother her anymore, and she could walk on her own. By late afternoon, they landed on the island. Jack had warned the crew to stay aboard the ship while he, Celeste, Angelina, and Audra go and scout the island a little; also in hopes that Celeste could isolate Santara long enough to fight and kill him.  
The island of Isla de Sangre was seemingly a big shadow. A large mountain resided to one side of the island. It was easily one day's journey from one side to the other. Rain clouds hovered overhead, thunder sounded and lightning flashed. The flashes of the lightning illuminated the mountains of whose rocks and dirt seemed stained red, as if spilled with blood. Its peaks high, walls impassable, and rocks jagged and cruel. According to Jack, on the other side of the mountain was a large open cave where the pirates were most likely hiding out. There was also one other opening, which was on the side of the mountain that they were on. The island was centrally forested with red palm trees and had white beaches.  
"Shh." Jack hushed them. They nodded in acknowledgement and followed him. All the passages in the cave were lined with torches along the walls. Thunder echoed through the halls, passages, and cave making for an, ominous, tense feeling.  
They crept through a narrow passage and heard a noise: yelling. They ran back to the opening of the passage and looked around. They looked back at the Pearl and saw at least half of Santara's crew invading the Black Pearl. Five of them stood guarding the gangplank to prevent exit or entry to the ship, while the rest took the crew captive and made sure that no one left. Had Santara known they were coming? Was he trying to play with them? And delay the moment of their death until his convenience? Was he trying to make it a "perfect moment" for himself, no crew to help stop it? They weren't going to stick around to find out. They knew what outnumbered was when they saw it. They quickly moved down the corridor again until they came to a fairly large room with two ways to go.  
Jack glanced at Celeste and noticed that she was wearing his jacket that he had lent her. She noticed him looking at her and nervously looked away. He smirked and leaned in close to her ear.  
"Want some more o' me clothes, love?" he whispered. She got a half offended, half pouty look on her face and Jack smirked again. She slapped him hard across the face. It echoed through the rooms. Jack rubbed his cheek, but smiled. Celeste pouted. "Deja-bloody-vu." he mumbled. "This way." he ushered them in a whisper. Angelina and Audra still didn't know what caused that slapping noise, but they were too nervous to care. They all nodded and followed Jack down the tunnel to the right. They heard something. Footsteps? The lighting was more dim than in the previous, and it became hard to see. Jack cautiously continued down the tunnel, the others following him. Suddenly, all the lights blew out.  
  
THWACK!  
"OW!" Jack yelled.  
"Arr!" it was a member of Santara's crew who had seemingly hit Jack on the head. Apparently more than one crew member was present, for many other yells followed. Someone came up behind Celeste and restrained her. The same happened to Angelina and Audra.  
"Unhand me!" Celeste commanded. Angelina and Audra screamed. Torches were re-lit, and they beheld their captors. Four ugly pirates of Santara's crew. They struggled, but to no avail. The pirates bound their hands; two pirates were needed to detain Jack.  
"Ol' Jack Sparrow, eh?" a pirate asked.  
"Captain Jack Sparrow, actually." Jack corrected.  
"Been a while!" the pirate replied.  
"Aye." Jack sighed.  
The pirates led Jack, Celeste, Angelina, and Audra through the tunnel and down a gray brick hall until they came to a long line of cells. There were at least five cells lined up on the left wall, and at the corridor were stairs going up. All but one of the cells were occupied by Santara's prisoners.  
"Alrigh', in th' brig!" a pirate commanded.  
"The lock's broken!" another pirate exclaimed, pulling the door open.  
"Darn ol' cells!" the first pirate yelled.  
"What're we gonna do?" the second pirate asked.  
"Just' tie 'em up." the first pirate ordered.  
"Aye, aye." the second pirate confirmed. "But we ain't got that much rope!"  
"Clap those two in the irons on the all over there!" the second pirate obeyed the first. He chained up Angelina and Audra in iron cuffs. The cuffs were attached to the wall by a foot long chain that extended from where they were bolted in the rock. The first pirate cut Celeste and Jack's bonds (other pirates came over to help restrain them). They tied them up back to back and left them standing up; there was no way they could sit down or move very efficiently this way. The ropes had been wrapped around them both, starting at their upper arms, and stomach, then their elbows and waist, then twice around their forearms and hips, then around their wrists and upper thighs twice.  
"'ow do we know they won' get out?" the second pirate asked the first.  
"I don' think Jack 'n' th' wench'll be goin' anywhere." the first pirate answered.  
"Hey! Don't call me that!" Celeste protested.  
"Shut it!" the first pirate yelled, and backhanded Celeste in the face. She cried out. Jack struggled to keep them standing.  
"You just 'it a lady!" Jack exclaimed. "'ow dare you?! Pirates 'ave manners too. It's scum like you who give pirates a bad name!"  
Shut up, you!" the first pirate commanded.  
"An' what if I won't?" Jack asked toughly. "What if I got a problem with you 'ittin' me girl 'ere?"  
"Well, 'oos tied up, an' 'oos standin' 'ere with your weapons?" the pirate retorted.  
  
"An' who's the coward?" Jack said angrily. "'ittin' woman. 'specially when she's tied up an' 'as no way to fight back." The first pirate then punched Jack in the stomach hard. Jack recoiled a little, but didn't surrender any sign of pain except a low, painful grunt right as he was punched. Celeste cringed at the sound of the blow Jack received.  
"Jack, don't say anything else to provoke them!" Celeste whispered, grasping his hand (as well as she could, being all tied up). Jack sighed.  
  
Suddenly, two more pirates ran in.  
"Yer all needed back at the ship! Now! Git goin'!" one of the pirates called. All the pirates rushed out of the cell. The door was shut and they could hear pirates running away.  
"You okay, Jack?" Celeste asked.  
"Aye. I'm fine." he replied. "Are you alright, darling? 'e didn't 'urt you too bad, did 'e?"  
"No, I'm okay." Celeste assured. "But what do we do now?" she asked, fearing the answer.  
"Erm..." Jack pondered for a moment. "Can either one o' you slip one of your 'ands out o' the cuffs? If so, that could be our solution." Angelina and Audra tried their hardest to slip a hand free.  
"Ouch!" Angelina cried. "No luck."  
"I think I--" Audra struggled. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, OW! Oh! I got it!" she got one hand free. "There's no way I can get the other, though. It's kind of swollen and sore from that pirates." (darn weak wrists in sword fights).  
"Tha's alrigh'!" Jack assured. "'ere's our plan: we will try to get over to you. You will get the knife I keep at the back o' me belt for safe- keepin', an' then you'll cut us free. "Unfortunately, the pirates had taken their swords and guns, but missed Jack's knife.  
"Alright, then... well..." Celeste hesitated. "How do we get over there?"  
"Just... shuffle... savvy?"  
"Okay, then... erm..." Celeste hesitated. "To the left." they then attempted to shuffle slowly, but... "No! My left! Ahhh!" they swayed from side to side for a second due to the misunderstanding. "Okay," Celeste started as they steadied themselves. "My left, your right. They slowly, but surely shuffled towards the wall where Angelina and Audra were chained. Eventually, they were about five or six feet from the wall when they encountered an unexpected rock sticking up from the floor.  
"Augh!" Celeste cried.  
"Arr!" Jack yelled. They tried to steady themselves, but to no avail. They fell over and hit the floor with a painful thud.  
"Ow! Ohh, oh gosh!" Celeste moaned in pain. "Owww! Wh-what do we do now? We can't stand up." Celeste stared at Audra's feet, about five feet away.  
"Er..." Jack hesitated. "We can still get over to the wall. Just try to, er, roll over, I suppose."  
"Alright. Good plan. Okay." Celeste agreed. "One, two, three!" They did the best they could to sort of roll over so that Jack was facing the wall instead.  
  
"Arrghhh!" Celeste groaned from the pain of Jack's weight. "Uhhhgh! OW! It hurts! It hurts!" she cried.  
"I'm sorry, darling! Unavoidable!" Jack apologized.  
"Yeah, yeah, hurry up and get the knife, Audra!" Celeste ordered. Audra reached out, stretching as much as the chain allowed.  
"OW! OW! OW!" Audra cried in pain, but continued to reach out. "Is it under that cloth thing...?" Audra asked, referring to the red and white striped cloth wrapped around Jack's waist, his belt over that.  
"It is not just a piece of cloth! It is--"  
"Who cares?!" Celeste interrupted. "Just get the knife!"  
"Woke up on the wrong side o' the bed, darling?" Jack asked.  
"I just got captured by pirates, tied up and left to stand or die, fell over, causing lots and lots of pain, got smacked in the face by a mean pirate, and got rolled on by painful pirate weight! It hurts, Jack! It hurts a lot!" Celeste whined with frustration and pain.  
"My condolences, love" Jack said. Audra kept trying to retrieve the knife. "Watch it, darling." Jack warned Audra blushed, but continued reaching for the knife.  
"Got it!" Audra exclaimed and pulled out a pocket knife from the piece of cloth wrapped around Jack's waist. She pulled the blade out of the knife with one hand. "Okay, got it!"  
"Great!" Celeste exclaimed. "Now, cut us free!" Audra stuck the knife under the rope next to Jack's arm, and slowly started to hack through it.  
"OW!" Jack exclaimed. Audra had cut his arm a little.  
"Sorry!" Audra apologized. She finally cut through the rope. Jack and Celeste squirmed to be free, and shook the ropes off. They got up, and Jack retrieved his knife.  
"Yes! Great job! Thank you!" Celeste told Audra. "Okay, Jack and I will go and get the key, okay? We'll be back as soon as we can!"  
"Okay." Audra replied. Angelina nodded.  
Jack and Celeste slowly opened the cell door and peeked out. They saw no one. Their attention was drawn to something on the stone floor.  
"What? Why are these here?" Celeste whispered, referring to both her swords and Jack's sword that had been strewn in the corner, by the stairs. "Had to keep our guns, didn't they?"  
"Well, be thankful for what you 'ave, love." Jack whispered back to her, picking up his sword and sheathing it. She picked up and sheathed hers as well. They crept up a set of stairs and came to a large, long passage to their left that looked like a very old, large, wide, vast stairway. There were stalagmites sticking up from the floor on either side of the barely intact stairs. Some stalagmites stuck up three feet from the floor, some of them ten feet or more. Stalactites hung from the ceiling  
"Are you alright, Jack?" Celeste asked caringly. "That guy hit you really hard."  
"I'm fine." Jack replied. "Been through a lot worse 'n' 'at. But thanks for carin', love. Doesn't 'appen too often."  
Suddenly, they heard voices from the corridor behind them.  
"Uh, oh." Celeste mumbled, readying her swords. More voices came, but this  
  
time, from the top of the old stairs. "Run up there, Jack, I'll take these guys."  
"Are you sure you can handle yourself, darling?" Jack asked.  
"If I can put up with you, I can handle anything." Celeste joked. Jack just looked at her. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding! I love being around you. Maybe it's because you drive me crazy." she smiled. "But, go! I'm me! I'll be fine! I can hold my own!"  
"Alright." he turned around and ran up the stairs at top speed. Just then, two pirates emerged from the passage behind Celeste.  
"Whaddo we got 'ere?" a pirate asked, unsheathing his sword.  
"Me? Oh, I'm just an escapee passing though." she sarcastically replied.  
"Well, we're gonna 'ave to take ye back to yer cell, poppet."  
"Oh, okay. I'll just let you, then -- NOT!" Celeste added. "I just don't think so." The two pirates charged at her. She kicked one of them in the stomach and he, not expecting it, fell over and hit his head on a rock, knocking him unconscious (what a loser). She fenced with the other pirate, but quickly got him turned around, and conked him in the head with he tang of her sword; he fell unconscious.  
"Phew! Well, that was fun!" Celeste said. Jack was still in the midst of slaying pirates. He'd killed one, but there were three left. Gosh, Jack really was amazing! Taking on four pirates at once!  
Suddenly, Celeste heard voices again. She looked back and saw four pirates coming her way; they'd spotted her.  
"Erm..." she stood for a second. "Uh uh!" she turned and ran up the stairs as fast as she could. One apparently very fast pirate caught up to her. She swung both her swords back behind her and slashed the pirate. She didn't look back to see if she'd hit him, but apparently she did because he fell over and down the stairs (she'd slashed his thigh, and he'd lost his footing, fell down the stairs, and got knocked out cold by a rock to the head). On this pirate's way down, he collided with another one who fell as well, and also passed out (bowling for pirates! Strike!). The other two pirates came up fast. She spotted a fairly skinny, tall, smooth stalagmite to the left of the stairs. She was nearly there. She planned to stop and fight, but...  
"GAH!" she tripped. In an attempt to not fall over, she dropped both her swords and managed to stay up. She ran for the stalagmite as an idea popped in her head. She jumped for it, grabbed it, swung around, and kicked one of the nearing pirates in the face. As the pirate fell (soon to fall on a rock and pass out), she caught a glance of Jack still fighting.  
She, weaponless, braved to continue fighting. She kicked the pirate's sword out of his hand, and before the sword hit the ground, she punched him in the face and knocked him out.  
"Fear not!" yelled a nearing Jack, running. "I'm here now!" he yelled heroically. A moment of silence came as he beheld the unconscious pirates. "Oh..."  
"Wow, my hero!" Celeste swooned sarcastically.  
"A-aye... well, we must move on." Jack stated uneasily.  
"Yes, we must move on, valiant heart." Celeste replied sarcastically. "For if you are not here to protect me, I fear what will become of me!" she rolled her eyes and walked on ahead, smiling.  
  
"Well, I found the guards." Jack said, catching up to her. "I was about to search them for the key, but I--"  
"Came to my rescue." she interrupted.  
"I would've come sooner, but I was busy."  
"I know." Celeste replied.  
"You know, your fightin' style got a little messy back there, I noticed." Jack told her as she picked up her swords and sheathed them.  
"Oh, bite me." Celeste sighed.  
"'s 'at an invitation?" Jack smirked a half smile.  
"You're disgusting." Celeste scoffed and slapped him in the face. Jack laughed.  
They made their way to the top of the stairs, got the key, and hurried back down to the cell.  
"We got it!" Celeste told Angelina and Audra. She dashed over and set them free.  
"Ow!" Angelina whined. "My arms 'urt!"  
"I'm sorry, but we have to go... now!" Celeste said. They left, headed up all the stairs that Celeste and Jack had previously encountered.  
Then, finally, after many stairs, they came to a large, open cave. There was a large opening at the far side of it, overlooking the ocean. There were boxes, chests, and crates scattered and stacked all around.  
"Where's Santara?" Celeste growled. "Where is that pig?"  
"Someone mention me?" They turned around.  
"Santara." Celeste growled once more.  
"None other." Santara said. He whistled loudly, and ten of his men came. "I suggest ye surrender. Ye don' 'ave much of a chance." Celeste looked to Jack for guidance. He smiled and grasped his sword handle. "Not a good idea." Santara sneered. Celeste unsheathed her swords. "Yeah, righ'." Santara chuckled.  
The pirates encircled them. Suddenly, two pirates lunged forward and grabbed Angelina and Audra. They screamed. Everything happened so fast. In an attempt to save Angelina and Audra, Celeste an Jack were hit over the head and knocked out cold.  
  
Ooh! Drama! Arr! Swash, swash, buckle, buckle! Savvy?! 


	10. Chapter 10: The Finale

Okay, well, here it is......... the Finale!  
  
Chapter 10: The Finale  
  
Captain Jack Sparrow sat behind the cruel metal bars of the cage he had been put in. The cage was of a rectangle shape, longer than it was tall. The bars on the cage were criss-crossed and rusty. If he sat on his knees, his head nearly reached the top. The cage was about six feet long, very small and uncomfortable. He had been trying to pick the lock, but to no avail.  
''ow am I to get out o' this one?' Jack thought wearily as he sat back against the bars of the cage.  
  
Celeste found herself coming into the conscious world with pain in her head. When her vision cleared, she saw Jack sitting in a cage leaning back against the bars. His back was to her. As she looked around, she saw that they were in a large alcove on a cliff. There was quite a bit of distance between them and the edge of the cliff. She struggled to get up and ran over to Jack's cage. She sat on her knees in front of him, looking in at him.  
"Jack!" she sighed. "Wh-where's the key? I'll get you out!"  
"I don't know where the key is, love." Jack sighed. "Santara prob'ly 'as it." He was looking down at the cage floor. She looked at him.  
"Jack, look at me!" she ordered.  
"What for?" he asked coldly. "So you can see me for the las' time?" he sat on his knees and stuck his head out of the bars. He placed his left hand on the same horizontal bar his chin was above, only in the next square. "You must get out of 'ere, darling! Save yourself!"  
  
"Why didn't he put me in a cage or... or restrain me in some way?" she asked, off subject.  
"'e said 'e wanted to give you a fair chance to run if you wanted." Jack replied. "But 'e said 'e knew you would come lookin' for 'im anyway. Don't do that, darling. Just get out o' 'ere!"  
"No! I'm not leaving you here, Jack!"  
"Keep to the code, love."  
"You're Captain Jack Sparrow! You always have a way out! Aren't all those stories true? I can help you!"  
"You are so stubborn, love." Jack sighed.  
"I know." she replied, smiling. "It's all part of my irresistible charm." she joked.  
"Look, I... I 'ave to tell you somethin'..." he hesitated. "I've been meanin' to tell you for a long time, but... I jus' never did... An' I, er..."  
"Wait. I have to tell you something first." she interrupted.  
"No, I really must tell you." Jack pressed.  
"No, I have to tell you." Celeste insisted.  
"No, I--"  
  
"Really, I--" Then, at the same time, they both just burst out what they wanted to say.  
"I love you!" There was a pause.  
"I have no idea why," Celeste said, "but I do." she almost got completely lost in his big, dark brown eyes. "I don't want to lose you, Jack!" she exclaimed. "You're all I've got!" her eyes turned red and watered.  
"No, love! You've got friends an'-an' family." he reasoned.  
"No family!" Celeste cried. "I told you about them! Besides, after leaving home, I really don't think they'd accept me even if I wanted to come back."  
"You shoul' apologize to them, love."  
"No! I've got too much pride! You know me, Jack! Besides I never want to see that witch of a stepmother ever again!" Celeste exclaimed. "I'm not going back there! I won't! You're the only one I've ever told everything to!" tears ran down her face. "The only one I've ever loved--" she choked on her words. After a moment, she began again, "You know what I did before I met you, Jack?" he didn't reply. "Nothing, Jack! Absolutely nothing! I was nobody!"  
"Darling, I want you to leave." Jack told her. "I'll find a way out."  
"No! I-I... can help you!" more tears strolled down her face.  
"GO!" he yelled. She began to cry harder. "I won't love you if you don't leave! I can get out of this!"  
"Then don't love me." she stated toughly, attempting to hold back tears. "You're just saying that to try to protect me. But it won't work, I won't leave. I would rather die than risk living without you." He didn't reply. Just stared at her with those gorgeous dark brown eyes of his. "I'm going to find Santara, kill him, and get that key." she stated.  
"You are so stubborn... I... please be careful, love." he warned.  
"I will." she assured. Tears welled in her eyes again. "If I don't come back... I'm sorry... but... but don't forget me--" she choked on her words. "Just-just remember that I died loving you--" she choked on her words again, tears rolling down her face.  
"Don't cry, love." he said comfortingly. "Don't cry. It's bad for morale."  
"I thought you said it's good for the heart. Besides, I'm a girl. I'll cry if I feel like it." she sniffled.  
"Yes, but you're my girl." he said, reaching out with his right hand and wiping tears from her face. "An' I won' let my girl cry. 'specially over me."  
"I love you, Jack."  
"An' I... I love you, darling." then something completely unheard of happened. Captain Jack Sparrow, legendary pirate, experienced something very new to him. One tear reluctantly rolled down his cheek.  
"Oh, I love you, Jack!" she exclaimed. Tears rolled out of her eyes like rivers. She put one of her hands on his that was resting on a bar; their hands joined. She put her other hand on the side of his head, leaned in and kissed him. Tears soaked their faces. They could hear pirates yelling not too far away. Thunder boomed and lightning flashed. She pulled back, bringing her hand to his cheek. "I'll see you soon, Captain." He nodded, holding back tears. She stood up, adjusted her hat, unsheathed her swords, and walked away from him, wiping tears from her face with her sleeve. Jack sat for a  
  
moment in thought.  
'I've never really been in love before...' he thought. 'Never felt like this since the Pearl... Hm...'  
  
* * *  
  
Celeste walked away from Jack, wiping tears away with her sleeve.  
"Santara!" she called.  
"Why, I were jus' comin' to see ye." he replied, walking from behind the corner of a large rock wall. "Actually, I were on me way to see Jack."  
"Keep him out of this." she ordered. "This is between you and me."  
"Ah, where's the fun in that?" he walked right past her and headed for Jack's cage. She ran to catch up with him, and jumped in his path.  
"Nope. I won't let you." she stated.  
"Oh, well, then, I'll just give up an' let ye both be on yer merry way." he replied sarcastically. "I think not." he kicked at Celeste's legs from the side, and she fell over. Santara quickly made his way over to Jack's cage, took out his sword, and stabbed him.  
"JACK!!" Celeste screamed. "No! Noooo!" she tried to run over to the cage, but Santara stopped her.  
"I want to get me two deaths in one day." Santara stated. "Didn't ye wan' to fight me?"  
"Jack... Jack..." Celeste sobbed as she looked at Jack's body lying on the cage floor motionless. Santara shoved her and she fell over. She looked up at him with tearstained cheeks. "No. I don't want to fight you. I just want to kill you." Santara laughed. She hopped up on her feet and attacked him. They fenced all the way down the cliff.  
She struck with all her might at his neck, but he blocked it. She had a rage in her she had never known before. He stabbed at her stomach, but she clashed one of her swords on his and jumped back, barely avoiding the attack. She swiped with both her swords at his waist, but he jumped back. He struck at her shoulder, but she blocked that too.  
"Maybe I shan't kill ye." Santara sneered as she struck at him and he blocked it. "Maybe I'll keep ye fer me crew 'n' me."  
"EW! Gross! No!" she retorted in disgust. "I'll bet you weren't even welcome in Tortuga!" she struck several times overhead and stuck in a few sideswipes. "I'm sure even those women have standards. No matter how much money is offered." they fenced.  
"Well, the only reason women become pirates are because they are either incapable of doing anythin' else, or because they too were rejected in Tortuga."  
"If only Anamaria was here." she mumbled as they fenced.  
Lightning flashed and thunder boomed. They continued fencing, maneuvering back and forth, jumping and dodging.  
They quickly fenced and Celeste was lucky enough to get one hit on Santara. She cut his thigh fairly deeply, though it didn't really seem to bother him.  
"Ye know, I'm on a tight schedule." Santara added. "I got places to be, things to  
  
do, blokes to kill." He blocked all of Celeste's strikes. He quickly swiped at her waist and put her: enough to make her cry out. She clutched at her waist with her left forearm, but didn't let go of her swords. He swung at her twice more and cut her upper right and lower left arm. She yelled in pain and dropped her left sword; it flew back behind her on the ground. Rain began to fall as lightning illuminated the skies and thunder boomed. Large drops of rain soaked her face and washed over the blade of her remaining sword  
Suddenly, he kicked her in the stomach. She yelled and fell to the ground, clinging to her sword, her last hope. She gasped for air, having had the wind knocked out of her. Santara stepped on the blade of Celeste's remaining sword and kicked it just out of her reach. She hoisted herself up onto her elbows, blood leaking out of her wounds, staining her clothes.  
"An' now fer the finale..." Santara growled, stalking towards her, as a wild animal about to tear into its prey. She scooted, backing up and away from him in panic, but noticed that she was nearing the edge of the cliff, so she stopped. He stared down at her for a moment, then he kicked her in the face and she cried out. He pointed his sword at her neck, it was about six inches away. Blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth. He removed his sword, giving him enough time to kick her in the face again; she cried out. Blood flew from her mouth. She winced in pain from all her wounds. She caught a glance at her unwillingly abandoned sword near her right foot. Her hope began to dwindle as she beheld the tip of Santara's sword pointed viciously at her face. Tears formed in her eyes as a vision of doom ferociously tore at her faith in escape. She toughened up, choosing not to despair any longer. Santara brought his sword to her cheek forming a long horizontal cut. She winced and closed her eyes tightly.  
"Ye brought this on yerself." Santara growled as he raised his sword above her stomach. But suddenly:  
"That's not very nice." sanatara wheeled around and saw none other than Jack Sparrow standing there; his right shoulder stained with blood. He held his shoulder with his left hand. Santara was so shocked that he was stuck in his tracks for a moment. Jack raised up his right arm and punched Santara in the jaw, hard. Hard enough to make him stagger a little.  
Celeste stared up in shock, not believing her eyes. She saw that Jack was unarmed and, knowing that she had no time to lose, remembered her other sword that had been forced from her grasp earlier and now lay near her right foot. She kicked her sword up into the air, and it flew towards Jack. While Santara was still in a little shock, Jack caught the sword in mid-air. He slashed at Santara as quickly s he could, but Santara wised up quickly and raised up his sword quickly to block his strike. They fenced, moving from side to side and back and forth while Celeste recovered some strength. Jack and Santara continued fencing, with many close calls. With his shoulder as it was, it would normally have slowed him down, but with the anger he possessed at the moment, he couldn't feel anything else.  
Celeste struggled to hoist herself up; arms, waist, back, and legs all in pain.  
Jack made a quick swipe at Santara and cut very deeply into his arm; unfortunately not his sword arm.  
Celeste took a deep breath, recovered her sword, and charged into the fray. She  
  
made her way over to Santara, who was wincing from the wound that Jack had inflicted on him.  
Then, Celeste and Jack both lashed out their swords and stabbed Santara in the stomach at the same time.  
The blood-washed tips of the swords pushed through his stomach, one just above or below the tang of the other. They pulled the swords out and Santara fell on his back; they could see the life draining out of him. Jack dropped his sword. Still in a rage, Celeste raised her sword up high in the air and cut off Santara's head. A pool of blood formed around his neck and severed head. Celeste stared down at what she had done for a moment, and then let go of her sword; it hit the ground with a clank. Red marks were left on her hand from gripping the sword so tightly. She ran to Jack's arms.  
"Oh, Jack!" she cried, hugging him tightly around the waist. She began to cry. "I thought you were dead!" she stepped back to look at him. "How did you get out?" Jack whistled and a blue and yellow parrot flew over and landed on his shoulder. It was none other than...  
"Mr. Cotton's Parrot!" she exclaimed happily, still crying.  
"Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails! Awk!" the bird squawked.  
"He picked the lock for me." Jack said, patting the bird' head. "Besides, Captain Jack Sparrow never dies!"  
"You saved the day!" Celeste exclaimed and pet the bird's head.  
"Any port in the storm!" squawked the bird.  
"And so did you, Jack." Celeste said in a more serious tone, but still crying. "I would've been history if you hadn't come just when you did."  
"I told you I wouldn' let you get killed." Jack said. The parrot flew off of Jack's shoulder and into a nearby tree. "I think you're becomin' a real pirate."  
"I suppose it was a feat, fighting and killing this guy." she admitted. "And living to tell the tale with no fatal wound. Yes, I'd say... "a smug smile appeared on her face, "I'm good."  
"Well, that, and your hat stayed on the 'ole time." they laughed.  
"But do you know what, Captain Jack Sparrow?" she took off her hat and dropped it. She put her arms around his waist. Rain still fell from the sky as if it too were glad to see Jack. As if it were crying along with Celeste. Both Celeste and Jack were soaked by the downpour. "You are definitely the best pirate I've ever seen."  
"Well, almost love, almost." they kissed.  
"Shiver me timbers!" Mr. Cotton's Parrot squawked from the nearby tree he was residing in Celeste at this moment was very grateful for Jack's newly rediscovered hygiene.  
"Right." Celeste said, clearing her throat. "Now for business." she stepped back and wiped the tears from her face with her sleeve. "I need to get this head back to the Pearl."  
"Er..." Jack hesitated.  
"Ew! What do I put it in?" she walked over to Santara and removed his jacket. "This'll do. Eww." the top part of the jacket was soaked in blood. She spread the jacket out on the ground. She then walked over to Santara's lifeless head and attempted to kick  
  
it onto the jacket. She froze. "Oh... my... I-I never thought... I didn't think... I-I... Ahhh!!" she ran back to the refuge of Jack's arms.  
"What? What?" Jack asked.  
"Ahh! Jack, I killed a human being! Ahh!" she buried her face in his chest.  
"He was a bloody evil man, darling." Jack comforted, putting his left arm around her. "It's okay to kill bloody evil men."  
"I-I suppose so..." she whimpered. She put her face back to his chest and continued whimpering. He smiled caringly. "But... but I'm so glad he's gone, Jack! I'm so glad it's over!" she cried. He kissed her head and released her.  
"He made his way over to Santara's head. He kicked it onto the jacket and started to wrap it up.  
"Oh, no, Jack, you're hurt! I'll do it!" she insisted and wrapped up the head herself. "Yuck!" she picked up her weapons and sheathed them.  
"Oh..." she sighed, as if she'd just opened her eyes for the first time to the situation, coming out of basic shock. "Oh, gosh... Uhh..." she grabbed her stomach. "I think I'm going to be sick! Uhh!" she ran over to a nearby bush. A mix of blood loss, exhaustion, and, well, just having cut someone's head off, who wouldn't be sick?  
  
Once she was finished with her... sickness, she returned to the wrapped up head; she had to take it.  
"I-I've got to get this thing back..." she said weakly.  
"I'll carry it for you, darling." Jack offered. "I've got one good arm." He picked up the head and retrieved his sword from Santara, who had taken it earlier.  
"Ngh. Thanks..." she held her stomach. "I think I've had enough Santara and of being sick for a lifetime." They began to walk back to the Black Pearl.  
"By the way," Jack added, "when we get back to the Pearl, I'm not keepin' that bloody thing in my room."  
"Oh, and I'm sure it'll make a lovely ornament in mine." Celeste sarcastically replied. "A store room..." Mr. Cotton's Parrot flew past them, headed for the Pearl. They walked off Pearl-bound as well.  
"Oh, an', er, that cryin' thing I did..." Jack hesitated. "It, er..."  
"Never happened?" she suggested, smiling.  
"Aye. Never."  
  
Wow. I hope everyone enjoyed that chapter! I cried when I wrote it! Well, anyway, bear with me! One more chapter! 


	11. Chapter 11: Drink up, Me Hearties, Yo H...

Okay, well, this is my last chapter, so I really hope you've liked my fic! I had a lot of fun writing it! Enjoy the final chapter!  
  
Chapter 11: Drink Up, Me Hearties, Yo Ho!  
  
Jack!" Celeste exclaimed. "In all the excitement, I forgot! The Pearl! Santara's crew!"  
"Oh, right..." Jack recalled. The had approached the Pearl by about fifty feet when it hit her. They ducked into some bushes.  
"Okay, here's the plan: I'll distract the guards while you sneak aboard and free the crew!"  
"An' 'ow am I supposed to get up on deck?" Jack asked. "Climb on? With this shoulder?"  
"No, I suppose not..." she said thoughtfully. "Just-just try to casually walk on while I distract them."  
"Well, okay..." Jack agreed. He put Santara's bundled up head in a bush. Celeste quickly moved into the clearing in front of the Pearl.  
"Hellooooo!" she called. "Santara's crew...buddies...men...people! There is a damsel in distress here!" After a moment, about ten pirates came down the gangplank to her.  
"Why, 'ello there, poppet." a pirate greeted.  
"Yes, hello!" she said loudly, gesturing wildly and trying to keep their attention while Jack slipped on deck. "I-I don't suppose you pirates could tell me where Santara is, would you?" the pirates stared at her, seeing her bleeding arms and waist.  
"Are ye alrigh'?" the pirate asked.  
"What? Oh...er..." Celeste hesitated. "I, er...tripped and fell a moment ago..."  
"Hm... Well, where'd you come from, poppet?" the pirate asked.  
"Er..." she glanced around. "Over there! Right over there! That way!" she pointed dramatically behind her, still trying to hold their attention. She was speaking loudly and dramatically. "Yep, that way!"  
"Ye wouldn' 'ave come from the Black Pearl 'ere, would ye?" he asked.  
"Black... Pearl...? Er, no... No Pearl. Nope. No way. Not me!" she struggled to hold their attention. "No, no, you see, I am a friend of Santara! And I-I am unable to, er, find him at the moment... You, er, could you help me find him?"  
"I'm afraid we're needed here, poppet." he answered, obviously an idiot.  
"Ohh, please, Mr. Pirate! Please!" she begged flakily. "I desperately need to find Captain Santara! Can't you take me to him?"  
"Ye see, poppet, the Captain's busy righ' now. Getting rid o' a client." She saw Jack and much of the crew sneak down the gangplank.  
"Oh, okay, well... may I say one thing?" she asked.  
"Aye."  
"You guys are such total idiots." Just then, Jack and the crew attacked Santara's crew. Celeste pulled out her swords and charged into battle. She saw Jack wince in pain. She ran to him, fighting.  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked, slashing at a pirate.  
"Yes, I'm fine." Jack assured. She got caught up in a fight and decided that Jack should be fine.  
"Ow!" Jack yelled. Celeste wheeled around to see that a pirate had slashed at Jack's left forearm. Blood quickly seeped out of his wound and stained his sleeve.  
"Jack!" Celeste yelled, a little preoccupied with a fight. She quickly slew her attacker and ran to Jack, who stabbed the pirate he'd been fighting. "Jack, you're hurt!" she said, surveying his wounds. "...A lot! You can't fight like--" she was cut off by an attacking pirate. She quickly fought him off and spoke again to Jack. "You can't fight in that condition!"  
"I'm fine, love! I'm fine!" he assured, irritated.  
"Jack, I'm not going to tell you again! Get out of here before you get hurt anymore! Go hide over there under the gangplank!" she slashed a pirate.  
"An' what about you? You're 'urt too."  
"I didn't get stabbed in the shoulder! Go!" she commanded. He reluctantly retreated, knowing that he was in no condition for battle.  
Celeste fought angrily, quickly ending the fights she got into. When the battle ended, she put away her swords and ran to Jack, who was sitting under the gangplank.  
"I feel like a bloody coward." Jack told her shamefully.  
"You're hurt and couldn't fight!" Celeste stated obviously. He didn't reply. "Oh! I almost forgot! Wait here!" she ran out of Jack's sight through some trees. She came back moments later, carrying Santara's wrapped up head.  
"Can't very well forget my souvenir!" she added cheerfully.  
"I suppose not." Jack answered, hoisting himself up.  
"Come on, Jack." she said comfortingly, helping him up. "Let's get you patched up."  
She helped him onto the Pearl and to his room.  
"I'll go get some bandages for you. Wait here." she said.  
"Wait!" Jack halted her. "You're 'urt too, love." he reminded her. "Oh... yeah..." she looked at her bleeding arms and waist. She wiped the blood from the wound on her cheek with her sleeve. "I guess I was just so worried about you, I--"  
"I know." Jack interrupted. Just then, Mr. Cotton, Gibbs, Anamaria, Angelina, and Audra hurried into the room. Angelina and Audra had been put on the Pearl with the rest of the imprisoned crew when they'd been captured.  
"Are you two alright?" Audra asked urgently.  
"Yeah, are ya okay?" Angelina asked as well. Audra got tears in her eyes. She ran over and hugged Celeste and Jack.  
"I-I thought..." Audra stuttered. "I thought you were lost to the locker of Davy Jones!"  
"That's Davy Jones's locker." Celeste corrected.  
"Yeah, yeah..." Audra mumbled, wiping away tears of joy from her face.  
"Oh, Mr. Cotton!" Celeste added gratefully. "I'd like to thank you for sending your brave parrot to our rescue!"  
"Any port in the storm!" the parrot squawked.  
"Are you both alright?" Anamaria asked.  
"Yes... now..." Celeste answered, grasping Jack's hand.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, after their wounds had been taken care of, the crew was sent out to plunder Santara's treasure. Celeste and Jack stayed aboard the Pearl because they were still a little weak from all the blood loss.  
That evening, after all the treasure had been loaded into the cargo hold, and, to Jack's delight, they'd returned his gun to him, and found Celeste's as well, the Pearl set sail. Celeste and Jack stood at the helm, gazing out at the sparkling Caribbean.  
"That was a pretty frightening experience." Celeste said. "I had a pretty tough time killing him."  
"You?" Jack asked. "I think I killed him, love."  
"Oh, no, Jack. You're mistaken. I did." Celeste corrected.  
"No, I killed him."  
"No, I did."  
"I did."  
"I did."  
"I did!"  
"I did! Ugh!" Celeste grunted. "Let's just drop it." she gazed out at the ocean and sighed. "It's really beautiful isn't it?"  
"Aye..." Jack agreed, gazing out at the ocean as well.  
"The important thing is that you survived, Jack." Celeste told him. "You're the important one."  
"You're important too, darling!" Jack assured. "If you hadn't killed Santara, who knows 'ow many people would've slaughtered."  
"Ha!" she exclaimed. "I killed him! You admit it!" they laughed. There was a pause.  
"Darling... I want you to stay 'ere on the Pearl with me... an' be a pirate. Angelina an' Audra can stay too." she looked up at him.  
"Wh-what did you say?" she asked. He leaned over and kissed her. "W- wow. Said all that, did you?" she smiled. "I would love to stay. I've got nothing to go back to... All I can say is... wow... I'm going to be a real pirate!"  
"Aye. We'll be the scourge--" he glanced at her and hesitated, catching her disapproval, "--and the, er, savior of the Spanish Main... or wherever we want to go." She leaned back against Jack's left shoulder.  
"I love you." she sighed.  
"I love you too." he told her. They both gazed dreamily out at the Caribbean. After a moment, Jack began to hum: "Nananana nanana dada dada..." he hummed to "A Pirate's Life For Me."  
"...And really bad eggs..." she continued. The then sang together as the Pearl sailed off into the horizon.  
"Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!"  
  
Well, that's it [takes a bow]. I hope you enjoyed it! I had tons of fun writing it! I hope you all review!! Anyway, I really do hope you enjoyed it! That's why I like to write -- to see other people happy! So, since I can't see you, leave a review! Drink up, me hearties, yo ho! Catch you in the sequel! 


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